What's in a Secret?
by Italo Capasso
Summary: Amid her breakup, Jade feels abandoned, again. To make things worse, a secret from her past comes to light, creating ripple effects in relationships and reputations. Can Tori help Jade keep it together or make things worse? Jori, but of course.
1. Everybody is Someone Else's Secret

_**A/N: So, new story, new couple. I've written before but under a different pen name, so this isn't my first ride around the block. It is though, the first Jori story for me. Most of this story is already written so updates will not be a problem. :) That is the best part right? I think so. **_

_**So here it is.**_

_**Disclaimer (Of course): I do not own Victorious. Such a shame really.**_

_**RR :)**_

* * *

_**What's in a Secret?**_

_**Chapter 1**_

_**Everybody is Someone Else's Secret**_

Secrets can be difficult to keep. But when they're your own, you would do anything to do just that. Maybe its a small, childlike one, or an embarrassing one. It might be about school or you lied about something. Maybe its the reason why you give yourself permission to be so mean and heartless; so you can keep away the pain you feel. It might be a secret for the mere fact that you never want to think about it, so you never speak of it.

Either way, secrets can destroy relationships, reputations. They can keep people at bay, or one particular girl you can't trust yourself with because you might slip up, give yourself permission to do the one thing you know should never happen but deeply desire. Or even worse, tell her your secret, your past and let her in. If she ever found out any of this, it would be the end of that perfect facade of Ice Queen that you worked so hard to set up for yourself and letting people in is unacceptable. The soft, vulnerable side of Jade West would finally be revealed.

Have you ever wondered why Jade is so cold hearted in the first place?

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Another ordinary day for the students of Hollywood Arts was upon them. The only things that were important were their 'big' teenage problems. Too dramatic and over the top, even for a preforming arts high school. Only some students had actual problems.

"Stupid locker." Tori mumbled to herself. The damn thing wouldn't open. Jammed again. It was holding her up. She shooed her friends to class minutes ago, afraid she would make them late. After trying the combination for the thousandth time, she gave up. She would just have to make Robbie share his math book with her, she thought while starting her trek to class.

Just then, something happened that she would have never guessed would happen. "Oh my god... You're Mika West...the lead singer of The State Of. I love your band! What's it like to tour? Have you met any celebrities? What are you even doing here?" Tori shot question after question to the singer. She saw someone famous... in L.A. Surprise, surprise. And in true Tori fashion, acted like a tween girl meeting N'SYNC.

"Whoa. Slow down. I just walked in the door." Mika, tall, curvy, green eyes, auburn hair and a badass style to boot including a lip ring that hung from the right side of her bottom lip, chuckled while attempting to calm the younger girl. "To answer your questions, it's great touring, yes I have and I'm an alumni here. What's your name, or should I just go ahead and call you Tigger?" She asked smugly. The overly excited Tori reminded Mika of the orange, jumping tiger from those children's book about a bear named Pooh.

"I'm sorry, I'm Tori." She answered embarrassed. "I'm just really excited." She just couldn't act normal.

"That may be an understatement." Her quick wit was definitely her strong suit. "Maybe you could help me out. I'm looking for someone." Right then, the bell rang for first period and the students running late, like Tori, were off like wild steer. "Well, never mind. I guess I'll see you around Tori." And with a charming smirk and quick wave of the hand that held more than enough vibrant colored bracelets, she made her way down the brightly decorated hall.

"Bye!" Tori practically yelled down toward the rock star with a stupid grin on her face. But as she walked off to class, Tori couldn't get this feeling that she knew the musician from somewhere else besides the band she played in. Mika's long, wavy-curly locks and green eyes reminded her of someone. But whom? Her tall, lean-but-curvy frame couldn't jog her memory either. 'And that smirk. I swear I've seen it from somewhere.' Tori thought, baffled. Let the mystery begin.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jade woke up late, once again. Why couldn't the alarm clock actually work and alert her to get the hell up? She picked up the piece of plastic and tossed it against the multi patterned wall, forcing the batteries to pop out its back. By this rate, she could probably get to school by third period if she hurried. Screw it. 'I'll just get there for lunch,' she thought as she dragged herself out of bed. She threw the dark colored sheets aside twisted around the bed post and sauntered off toward the bathroom, not even bothering to make the bed.

With the house empty, as usual, she didn't have to worry about her parents wondering why she wasn't at school yet or her pesky little brother bothering her. No one really cared these days. With everyday that pasted since Sinjin's ridiculous game show sent her relationship into the final step of inevitable doom, Jade's anger perpetually grew into a fury no one wanted to get in the way of. It wasn't even from the actual breakup. Losing Beck as her one consistent anything in her life was the fuel that fed the fire raging inside. People always leave.

"Another day at attempting to stay, cool and calm." Jade muttered to the empty air as she walked back into her darker than usual bedroom to get dressed. The sun was forever blocked out by the black drapes that hung lazily from the curtain rod to cover the window. After her long, scolding hot shower, she could still feel the fire burning in her heart. You could feel the ferocious energy she possessed, that waited for the wrong person to say something that would unleash her frustrations. The calm before the storm is a warning; stay away. But another feeling was dueling her anger.

A feeling she knew all too well. Her parents didn't care, they hardly tolerated her. Beck was gone, only a glimmer of hope that they could stay friends remained, but that was dashing quickly. Then there was... 'I won't think about that. I'm tired of crying over that.' In her mind, it was done and over with. She would never go back to that day. The pain was too much. Worse than anything she went through dating Beck, even her breakup.

**Hey! Where are you? **She received a text message from Cat, the closest person she had to a best friend or at least a pet.

**I'll see you at lunch. **With a roll of her green-blue eyes, Jade responded wondering why anyone really cared where she was. She was definitely not the nicest person to be around, especially now. But Cat didn't really know any better.

**Kay kay :) **With Cat done bugging her, Jade finished up getting ready with one long final look in her full length mirror. The insomnia she suffered from lately showed in her tired eyes. Her frown drooped slightly lower than usual. Her makeup covered as much as it could, but not her emotions or warn out look. She was exhausted from all the emotional turmoil. Her all-black outfit really reflected the storm that raged inside. For the third week straight, black was her only friend. Out into the big bad world she went, bringing with her the dark cloud she possessed.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lunch couldn't come any quicker for Tori. It was bothering her that she couldn't get her damn locker open. It was a battle she would win sooner or later. When she got there, the hallway was abandoned due to the fact that everyone was enjoying there lunch break by actually eating lunch. She walked to her lit up locker and put in the combination, pulled at the lever, but no luck once again. With a dramatic grunt, she slid down her locker to the ground and put her head down in frustration.

"Need a hand with that?" The voice sounded familiar. Tori looked to catch green eyes looking at her that she remembered from earlier. She took in the girl wearing black skinny jeans and simple black boots. It was Mika again.

"Oh yeah. Hi again. My locker keeps acting up and won't open and I need the books inside..." Tori rambled on with a huff and puff, that signature scowl on her face.

"Allow me." Tori stood up and gave Mika the space she needed to work on the stubborn locker. With a flick of her wrist, Mika entered the combination and shouldered the door. "There you go." Mika smiled triumphantly as the locker door swung open.

"How? How did you know to do that?" Bewildered, Tori looked at Mika in amazement. The smirk on Mika's face was driving Tori crazy. She knew it from somewhere...

"This was my locker when I attended." Mika answered matter-of-factly. "See?" She pointed to a fairly large permanent marker writing on the inside of the locker, on its ceiling that said 'M.W.' "I like what you've done with it." Mika finished with a brilliant smile.

"Thanks. I always wondered about what that stood for. So you're a musician and like vandalizing school property. You sound like someone I know." Tori replied while thinking about a certain pale girl that plagued her thoughts. Where was she anyway?

"Yeah well, we're encouraged to decorate the outside. Why not the inside?" The two shared a chuckle before Mika continued. "But no, I-" She was interrupted by the person she was searching for.

"Mika..." Jade called out in disbelief. She looked like she had just seen a ghost. Her skin growing even paler than usual by the second. Mika turned around, a bit afraid to meet Jade's eyes. Tori turned as well.

"Hi Jade." The moment she waited five years for was finally here.

"You know Mika?" Tori asked Jade, completely oblivious to the connection between the two girls and their history.

"Yeah she does." Mika responded never breaking eye contact with Jade's wide green-blue eyes.

"She's my sister..."

* * *

**_I feel like I may be the queen of cliff hangers. There are plenty in the story. lol But at least updates will be frequent. :)_**

**_Please, please, please review! _****_That is the next mission. Even if its just literally 'more.' I'm grateful. Everything and anything is wanted. Just be respectful of course. I'm open to everything. I have proof read this story more than any term paper I have ever written so hopefully that's not a problem._**

**_Anyway, I hope you stick around for this ride. It's pretty good if I do say so myself. Hope you feel the same. _**


	2. Daughters of Privilege

_**A/N:**** Hello all. :) Okay, so first of all, thank you very much for the awesome crack, I mean reviews. All the good feedback made my day. Now I'm even more excited to publish this story that's been in my head for months, months I tell you! Updates will probably come two to three times a week. I'm still writing the finishing chapters. **_

_**Anyway, enough of me. Now to the thing that you really wanna read. Enjoy kids. **_

* * *

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Daughters of Privilege**_

"She's my sister..." Jade whispered just loud enough for Tori and Mika to hear. It cut through the dead silence of the hallway. It seemed like hours before they were interrupted by Jade's phone, no one daring to speak first. "What?" Jade snarled into the phone as she attempted to compose herself. It was Cat looking for her.

As Jade continued on the phone, Tori was in shock, jaw hung low. How did she not make the connection? Of course Jade was the one Tori thought of when she looked at Mika. Their eyes, hair, body type, skin tone, height, taste in fashion, and that smirk. That smirk made Tori weak in the knees when she saw Jade make it. The only difference was Mika looked older and kept her natural auburn hair. Not to mention they had the same surname. The mystery had been solved.

Mika stood there clueless on what she was going to say to make Jade listen as she bit at her already short nails. Her younger sister grew into such a beauty, Mika thought, but so icy cold. She knew it wouldn't be easy by any means. The moment she wanted, here, but now that she had the opportunity to speak to her baby sister, she still had no idea what to say.

"Okay. Okay, bye!" Jade pressed 'end' on her phone and put it away. After it sunk in that her sister was standing in front her, Jade put the deadliest look in her eyes to hide the pain that she was afraid would be seen behind them. "What. Are you. Doing here?" Jade asked Mika with as much venom she could muster.

"I missed you." Mika wasn't afraid of Jade per se. She was afraid that she wold stubborn and not hear her out. It was all Mika could say as she swallowed hard. It was the truth. She hadn't seen Jade in 5 years. She knew the anger Jade felt was all Mika's fault.

"Now? Now you miss me? Finally miss me enough to come back, is that it?" Jade spat as she regained her composure from the initial shock. She took the few steps that separated her from Mika to stand inches from the older girl. She wanted Mika to know she was serious.

"Jade-" Mika pleaded with her eyes.

"No. You don't get to do this. You wasted your time coming back. I'm going to lunch." She bumped into her sister's shoulder for good measure. And just like that, Jade marched off, walking past Mika like she was on a mission. She was, and that was to get far away from another problem that she didn't want to deal with.

Tori stood there, still as clueless as she was when Jade walked into school. She looked at Mika who was still facing the direction the raven girl stormed off in, shoulders slouched. She released a breath she was no aware she was holding.

"What am I gonna do? Shit." This would have to be done differently. But how? Mika needed help. She underestimated how angry Jade really was. She could feel the resentment, knew Jade would be pissed, but this was definitely not the girl Mika reluctantly left behind so long ago. The feeling of regret filled the musician as she hung her head and leaned against her old locker.

"She's been ignoring me lately, but I could go talk to her." Tori offered. She really didn't want to because her safety would most likely be in danger if she went anywhere near Jade. But seeing the pain and agony in Mika's face, Tori felt like she needed to help. She liked Mika. Even though the story eluded her, Tori knew the sudden appearance of her sister upset Jade and she wanted to take that away. Maybe she could even get on the raven-haired girl's good side, or die trying. She needed to help both Wests.

"I couldn't ask you to do that. I know how bad she gets. She's probably even worse since I last saw her. She can hold a grudge longer than anyone I know." Mika wouldn't put Tori in Jade's crossfire.

"Oh, I know but, I can take care of myself." Tori stated with a shaky, yet brave, voice. And with that, the bell sounded to end lunch. Tori gave a half smile to Mika and made her way to her next class.

"But you don't even know the story!" Mika yelled so Tori could hear her. Tori just waved, not even looking back at the older girl. "Good luck. This is not gonna end well." Mika said to herself.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

'What the fuck? Great timing Mika. I haven't seen you in years and you pick this point in my life to come back? Why did she even bother? I don't know how to deal with this on top of everything else. I'm gonna explode. And what was Tori doing talking to her? I need to keep her away from this. If she knows too much, I might slip and let her in.' Jade rambled on in her head. She couldn't organize her thoughts fast enough. Here she was in seventh period History of Broadway class completely engulfed in her own troubles. She checked out long ago. From time to time, Tori Vega would crawl into Jade's thoughts. This circumstance however, was becoming more and more frequent everyday. It had gotten even worse since she and Beck called it quits.

Everything was falling apart. First Beck, then trying to avoid Tori, now Mika. That was the last thing she thought she would have to deal with. Her icy exterior was on the verge of cracking like a melting glacier, and the task to stay cool and calm became more difficult by the minute. It felt like her heart was being pulled in three different directions. This inner turmoil was ripping her apart. If she didn't get home soon to let out her anger properly, she would let it out on an innocent bystander.

The bell rang for the end of the school day. Jade bolted for the door and down the hall. She rounded a corner. 'Finally! I need to get out of here before I run into-' "Umph!" 'Too late.' She thought as she ran straight into Beck.

"Hi Jade." Beck said awkwardly as he backed away from her.

"Yeah, hi." Two weeks and it still wasn't any better. She couldn't deal with this drama.

"So, how ar-" Beck picked a bad day.

"I gotta run. It's been swell." Jade interrupted. Already past him, she made a mad dash past her locker, not even wasting time to grab anything in it. Almost home free, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Cat and Andre talking to Mika at the locker belonging to Andre. She snarled her lip in ire.

"How you been?" Andre asked Mika. Before Jade could get back into flight mode, Cat spotted her.

"Jade!" Cat excitedly waved Jade over. "Look who's here!" She just wanted to escape this jungle of her life so she could process.

When Mika heard that name, she turned to meet Jade's dark eyes. 'This is gonna take a while.' She could see the fire, everyone could. But only Mika could see the hurt. Her heart was breaking just thinking about what she put the younger girl through. The tension between the two sisters could be felt across to the other side of the world.

"Hey Cat. I actually gotta run. See you later Andre." Jade stated coolly, not leaving her older sister's eyes. She only said goodbye to them to make a point to Mika. She left the group silently, passing Tori on the way to the exit. Before Tori could open her mouth, Jade jumped on it. "Don't even bother, Vega." Speechless, Tori walked up to her group of friends as Jade walked out the door.

"Hey Tori. I gotta run. My band's playing our first show in L.A. tonight and I gotta make soundcheck. If you guys want tickets or anything, let me know. I got you covered. Later." Mika announced her departure. Tori could sense the grief and while looking into Mika's eyes knew it was killing her. She was tired but she was determined to get Jade to listen. It showed too. With a wave, Mika made her exit.

"Okay, what is up with those two?" Tori asked her two friends. If anyone knew what was going on, it was Cat and Andre. They looked at one another but stayed silent. "Oh, come on guys!" She had to know what was eating at Jade. It was breaking her heart to know Jade was dealing with this alone, like her breakup with Beck.

"It's complicated, Tori and not our place to tell you." Said Andre.

"Yeah. You're just gonna have to ask Jade. Good luck!" Cat added with an oblivious smile.

"But, she hates me! She might actually kill me if I go anywhere near her. Plus, she's been avoiding me ever since her and Beck...you know. She hasn't even threatened me." Tori whined with a sour yet scared look on her face. She missed any type of attention from Jade. Damn, did she have it bad.

"Listen Tori. All I'm gonna tell you is that this is something that could send Jade over the edge. So, tread lightly." Andre's warning terrified Tori, but she had to help somehow. What did she have to lose, Jade already hated her.

* * *

_**There it is. RR Please! More to come of course :)**_


	3. Accidents Are on Purpose

_**A/N: Hello Hello! This was supposed to be updated yesterday, but there was slight technical difficulties. It's up now. Thank you for the reviews, faves, alerts, etc and so forth. It means a lot. To address reviews, I take everyone's suggestions and I might just put them into the story. :) **_

_**Without further ado, I present to you all chapter 3 **_

_**Disclaimer: See CH 1**_

* * *

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Accidents Are on Purpose**_

Tori sat cross-legged on her light blue bedspread contemplating calling the pale girl. Today was such a mess of emotions and they weren't even hers. What did Mika do that was so unforgivable? What was going through Jade's head when she saw her sister? Wait...Jade had a sister. Why was it such a secret? The crease of Tori's brow was making her face ache. 'Stop over thinking.' She shook the thoughts away then began to stare at her phone for what seemed like the entire time she was home from school. She felt like a boy calling the girl he liked to ask her out on a date. Well, Tori's scenario was half true. With Jade's name highlighted, the tan girl finally got the nerve to press 'call'.

With a deep breath, she put the PearPhone to her ear and the thoughts started up again. 'Maybe I should stay out of this. It's not my place to intervene. I don't even know what's bothering Jade. What's taking her so lon-'

"What?" A sharp voice from her phone kicked Tori out of her thoughts. Jade sounded less cranky than Tori expected. She sounded more tired than anything. Maybe she could do this.

"Um. Hi Jade."

"Listen Vega. I'm not really in the mood for small talk. So let's skip past the moment you stutter over your words and get to the point." Maybe she couldn't do this.

So with a deep breath, Tori dove in head first. "Whywon'tyoutalktoyoursister?" It came out in one blob of meshed up words. But Jade knew exactly what the Latina said. It still took a couple seconds for a response.

"Why is that any of your business, Tori?" Jade snarled a little too calmly for Tori's comfort.

"Uh. Because I..."

"Seriously Vega. You're wasting my time." After Jade's interruption, Tori heard silence, then the beep to signal the end of a call. With a sigh, Tori tossed her phone aside and laid back on her bed. Time for plan B.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

With her black comforter pulled over her head, Jade thought about how agonizing of a phone call that was. She didn't want to be so rude to Tori, but if she spoke to her any longer, she would become civil and that scared her. She might put her guard down, give her feelings away. 'Why does Tori even care? Because she's Tori.' Jade grunted as she let the thought of herself meaning anything to Tori linger in her head for a while longer. 'I wish she were here.' But it quickly dissipated and was replaced with the sudden realization that the girl consuming her thoughts knew about Mika. "Great. She's a little bit closer..."

Mika. Jade couldn't keep the memories at bay anymore. She shut her eyes tight to keep the tears in. No such luck.

"_Daddy! You promised you would teach me to ride my big kid bike!" A 7 year-old Jade West dramatically huffed at her father for the third straight day. _

"_Not now, Jade. Daddy's working." The older man mumbled without even looking at his daughter. _

"_But, that's what you said yesterday and you promised!" At a young age, Jade began to realize that when someone promised something, it meant less than not saying it at all, except one person, who always kept her promises. _

_A head popped in through the doorway of Mr. West's home office. "JJ, come on. I'll teach you." With a brilliant smile, a 12 year-old Mika put out a welcoming hand to Jade. The younger girl took it with a new jump in her step and her pouty face was replaced with a big grin, similar to her big sister's. _

_Hand in hand, the West sisters made their way to the garage where Jade's new 'big kid' turquoise, pink and white bike was stored. "Yay! Thanks Mikey for helping me." Jade beamed at the mere thought of her one and only sister. Mika was a hero in the green-blue eyes of the, then happy, 7 year-old._

"_No problem. You ready to knock this out of the ball park?" Mika asked and was answered with a vigorous nod and baby teeth smile. "Cool. So first, we have to learn to balance which is really hard..."_

Jade's heart ached with the thought of bonding time with Mika when they were young. It meant nothing now. Even Jade's childhood hero broke promises. If she cared about none of it, then why were her eyes pouring out tears? Jade quickly swiped at her eyes to remove the unwanted water works. She was startled at the sound of her alarm, which lay on the floor, batteries put back in. It signaled a new day. 'The piece of shit finally worked for once.' She reminisced the night away, once again getting no sleep. Time to face yet another day.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

'Why am I in the janitor's closet? With Tori?' Jade questioned. The skinny girl dragged Jade in here for some pointless reason that only Tori thought was important. She was secretly intrigued. But that was quickly replaced with a knowing feeling. It was about Mika. "Vega, you're gonna make me late for class. What do you want now?" With her lips pursed tight, leather covered arms crossed, boot cladded foot tapping impatiently, Jade waited for Tori to talk. And waited. And waited. "I'm not gonna wait much longer."

"I know, okay? Give me a second." Tori stated abrasively, something neither girl was expecting. Now Jade was really intrigued, impressed almost. "Jade, I know it's none of my busine-"

"I know where you're going with this and no, it's not Tori." Jade said sternly while throwing her bag aside to empathize her point.

"Maybe if you just gave her a chance to explain. I'm sure she has a good reason. She's your sister." Tori was not backing down, not this time.

"I don't wanna talk about this." Jade stated shifting her weight, sighing in frustration. She couldn't find an escape. Tori was standing in front of the door.

"Why? Why do you keep everyone at arms length?" Tori's own frustrations were starting to seep out of her.

"Why do you stick your nose in everyone's business?" Jade retorted with another question, voice rising a bit.

"Because I care about you and I-"

"You do?" When she heard that, Jade's defenses fell completely. Her rare, sickly, optimistic voice snuck past her lips and onto the Latina's ears. Her eyebrows shot up in disbelief. With that, Tori started to wring her hands nervously and averted eye contact. She knew that she let just a sliver of her feelings out to the pale girl, it was enough.

"Yes. You're my friend, even if you don't think so and...wait..." Brown eyes shot up, realization hitting her like a dump truck. Jade's voice sounded hopeful, like she wanted to hear those words. Tori had never heard the pale girl sound so small, insecure. Her eyes caught green-blues. Neither girl moved, they hardly remembered to breathe. 'Oh my god, they're even more beautiful when she looks at me like this.' Tori thought. Jade was the first to break the silence.

"Tori..." Before Jade knew it, she grabbed the tan girl's hand and started moving toward her. Just then, Luther the janitor started jiggling the handle to the door and the spell was broken. Jade shook her head and grabbed her bag off the ground, yanked the door open and bolted past Luther.

'What. Just. Happened?' Tori was astonished to say the least.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

With the final cymbal crash of the song, 'The State Of' finished their second of four L.A. shows. "Thanks! Good night L.A.! Get home safely! Don't be stupid." Mika yelled into her mic. As the band walked off the stage, Evan, the lead guitarist and only male of the band, spoke up. "Great job as usual. Now let the drinking begin!" Mika grabbed her phone from back stage to check her messages. She had gotten Jade's number from Cat and texted her baby sister almost begging that she talk to her. She got one response.

**Leave me alone. And call off Tori. I know you're using her. **At least she actually got an answer.

**I'm not using her. She offered. She cares about you, JJ. **Mika answered.

**You don't get to call me that anymore. Just go away. **Replied Jade, within seconds.

**Jade...** But that was the end of the conversation. 20 minutes went by with no response. Baby steps. Mika had to remind herself. Baby steps.

"_Okay! I got it! Now let me try by myself, Mikey!" Little Jade whined. She wanted to try and ride her bike without Mika holding on and finally become a big kid. It was about time that she learned. She didn't want to get picked on anymore for being the only kid on the block not riding two wheels. _

"_Okay, Okay. Just like last time, but remember to steer. You ready?" Jade nodded vigorously. "On 3. 1...2...3! Go! Go! Go!" Mika started pushing Jade as the younger girl peddled her little heart out to pick up speed. "I'm gonna let go...NOW!" _

"_I'm doing it! I'm doing it!" Jade's eyes lit up when she realized that she was indeed riding her bicycle all on her own. She looked back at her sister proudly._

"_Steer! Jade watch out for that-" Crash! "Mailbox..." Mika grimaced as Jade made contact with the object and hit the grass beside it. She heard crying and the calling of her name so Mika started running toward her sister. "Come here. Let me see."_

"_Ouch! It hurts, Mikey!" _

"_You're okay. It's just a scrape. Let's go clean up your knee and get ice cream. Yeah?" Mika offered. She hugged Jade as the little West nodded with that 'little kid, I'm hurt, pouty face' look. So, the two sisters walked back to the house to get ice cream, putting Jade's bike back into the garage. "We'll try again later."_

"_I guess so." Jade agreed with that pouty look still evident._

"Hey, rock star. What's wrong? Why are you all by yourself, sulking?" The drummer of _'The State Of',_ Kelly asked as she walked up to her band mate, knocking Mika back to present time.

"Oh, hey Kel. Just checking my messages." Mika answered in a defeated tone.

"Let me guess. She doesn't wanna talk." It was more of a statement than a guess from Kelly. She knew the whole story. She actually knew Jade from back in the day, the older West and her being friends for awhile now. Mika nodded so Kelly continued. "You got to give her time, girl. You know her little 12 year-old heart broke when you left."

"I know. And that's what's killing me, knowing that I'm the reason she's so damn angry." Mika sighed as she stuck her phone into her back pocket. She only had so much time left in L.A. She needed Jade to forgive her soon or she might break.

"Come on. Let's go get our 'after party' on, shall we?" Kelly said, blonde hair swaying, as she put her arm around Mika.

"Okay." disappointedly, Mika went on with Kelly to clear her head with a blurry night of the band's usual after party shenanigans.

* * *

_**I know you guys are gonna ask what the hell happened with the sisters again lol I assure you, by the end of the story, you will find out. Trust me, I'm a professional. I ask for your patience. So you know the next step. Review and maybe I'll update quicker...**_

_**And on a side note, it's my birthday today. I'm a Friday the 13th birthday girl. Not to fish for reviews but that would be a great B-day present. Cough cough. **_

_**Until next time... :)**_


	4. Well Thought Out Twinkles

_**A/N: First of all thank you so so so much for the reviews, happy birthdays, etc. I really appreciate it. This chapter was supposed to be posted yesterday. I got busy and I do apologize to all you loyal readers. No worries though, I feel like it's definitely worth it. Lol **__**My 'editor' (as in the only person besides me whom has already read the what I've written so far, aka my gf) tells me it gets even better with every chapter.**_

_**Enough of the chit chat. Now for what you really came here to read.**_

_**Disclaimer: I'm working on owning Victorious but it's not looking promising. I still don't own Victorious**_

* * *

_**Chapter 4**_

_**Well Thought Out Twinkles**_

"_But Mom, I really wanna go here! You know I'm talented enough to get in!" 13 year-old Mika was trying desperately to get her parents to listen to her about the high school she dreamt of attending ever since the fourth grade. _

"_End of discussion Mika Michelle. I've had enough of you talking about Hollywood Arts." Mrs. West roared._

"_Dad-" Mika tried turning to her father._

"_You heard your mother Mika. You need a proper education. Not some playground for you to run around and ram your future and life into the ground. Now go to you room." Mr. West all but shit on Mika's dreams with that._

"_But dad-"_

_"I said now, Mika!" He commanded while pointing to the second level of the house. He was losing his already short temper with this talk of some fake school as far as he was concerned. "If I had any say, I'd ship your troubled ass to boarding school." He added as his eldest child made her trek up the staircase. It fell right on Mika's ears and straight to her heart. A single tear fell from her sad hazel-greens._

_Mika reluctantly and defeatedly arrived at the top of the stairs. As she was just about to take the last step, she noticed green-blue eyes peaking out of one of the other bedrooms. "Jade, were you spying on us again?" _

_The door burst open and a little 8 year-old ran toward Mika. "I don't want you to go away, Mika! I'd miss you to death!" Jade yelled as she jumped up, throwing her arms around her sister's neck and sinking into Mika's arms._

"_I'm not going anywhere silly. I promise. You know he doesn't actually mean it. He's just being typical Dad. No worries, JJ. Come on." Mika spoke sincerely while picking up the growing little girl and carrying her over her shoulder to her room. "Wanna watch Toy Story with me?" _

"_But that's _your_ favorite movie, not mine." Jade whined from her position on her sister's shoulder, a place she was all too familiar with but secretly loved. _

"_Exactly. I'm the one in need for some cheering up with her favorite movie and favorite person in the whole wide world."_

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jade's POV

The playground right near my house is the most peaceful place at night, aside from a cemetery, of course. Mika used to bring me here. I haven't been in almost a year, because...it's just too many painful memories. I kept thinking maybe I'd see her somehow, that she'd come back. As I lightly swing on the aging seat, the rust on the bars makes the creeking noise that puts me in a lull. My boots scrape the ground, kicking up the dirt just slightly.

My thoughts quickly and subconsciously drift to Tori. Why did I lose it in the closet? It's getting more difficult to keep the tan girl at bay. The crack of my carefully built walls are starting to show the more I see her. It's only a matter of time. But I can't give in. And Mika being here isn't helping. I want to tell Tori why I'm such a mean person, why I have such a thick armor and why I use up so much of my energy to keep people away. But that means I would have to drop the drawbridge to my castle no one has been to since Beck and even he had to wait forever. He never got very far. The buzz from my phone in the pocket of my black jeans pulls me back into reality.

"Hello?" I was too exhausted to be mean or even check the caller I.D.

"Hey Jade..." Beck's voice cuts me like a knife. I really want him to go away. I stand straight up from the swing and climb the ladder to the slide. I remember traveling down it with Mika behind me when I was young. Damn, my head is filled with the most disorganized thoughts.

"Listen Beck-" I'm cut off. How dare he cut _me _off?

"Jade, I just need you to hear me." My silence is a sign for him to continue. I sit down at the top of the yellow, plastic slide tapping my black finger nails on the structure. "I'm sorry. I want something with you. Maybe friends? I hate being ignored. Before you irrationally brush me off, think about it. At least for the history we have."

With a long, drawn out sigh, I answer him. "I'll think about it. But I have a lot on my plate right now." I reluctantly answered. Beck sighed in relief.

"I know-"

"No, you don't Beck. And right now, I aim to keep it that way." I noted feeling like I got the upper hand once again.

"You always do." Is he really speaking to me this way?

"Excuse me?" I say with as much venom as I can muster.

"Nothing. Never mind. I'm sorry." More silence. "I'm here if you need to talk."

"Gee, thanks. I'm oh so grateful that THE Beck Oliver wants to help me." I hang up on him. I just don't feel like more drama. I wish I could disappear until everything blows over and normalcy continues. But that won't happen. The longer I wait, the bigger the shit storm. I lay my back on the platform with my legs on the slide. I stare up at the stars and all I see is Tori. I can't let her in. She will regret it. She won't like what she finds. I know I don't.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tori's POV

She touched my hand...Jade touched my hand. And not in a violent way. In a loving way. I knew I felt something between us. It's been a long time coming. That moment in the janitor's closet meant something. I just know it. The way her eyes locked onto mine when she heard my words. I care about her. I mean it. Has anyone ever said that to her? Maybe Mika. I don't know what Mika did, but everyone deserves a second chance.

I have to get through to her. It's killing me to know that she's drowning in the ocean and I'm stuck on the shore. I have to find a boat to get to her before it's too late. And I will. My feelings for the raven-haired girl run deep. They have been growing at an alarming rate for a while now. When I watched her cry over Beck. When I saw the hope in her eyes when her dad came to see her play, 'Well Wishes' and how her face lit up when he told her that he liked it. She was actually protective, in her own way, when Ryder Daniels asked me out.

I don't know why she is such a mean person, but there has got to be a reason. I want to see the side of her that smiles sweetly, cares. Cares about me. I see glimpses but when she figures out what she's doing, it vanishes just like that, like she's scared to even let me see through the looking glass.

She tells me to back off. She wants me to let go of the whole Mika thing. But I know both West girls need this talk. I think Jade needs it more. I stare up at the glow-in-the-dark stars on my ceiling with my head resting on the pillow. I must think of something. I want her. I know that. And I want to help her. If I can just patch up her relationship with Mika, she might want me too. I've helped her before, I'll do it again.

Think Vega!

I shoot up into a sitting position as a brilliant idea comes to life in my mind. I grab my blue phone off my end table next to my bed and scroll down my contacts. I find the name I want, then press the 'call' button. It rings a few times.

"Tori! Hey, Hey!" Cat's overly bubbly voice fills my ears like a rainbow just exploded. I get up, walk across my room, then sit on my computer chair and swivel a bit, letting my idea rattle around in my brain.

"Hi, Cat. I need your help with something..."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

No POV

"Cat! I swear if you don't tell me where we are going I'm gonna-" Jade said sternly and blindly, sitting in Andre's passenger seat. Him and Cat all but kidnapped the taller girl from school after the final bell rang. Jade didn't even know Andre was involved.

"Here!" Cat announced in her bubble voice from the back seat as Andre put the car in park and turned off the ignition.

"Can I take this stupid blind fold off now?" Jade asked impatiently.

"Yeah. Go ahead." Andre chimed in and answered Jade.

Jade ripped her blind fold off in a huff. "Andre?" She vocalized, rolling her eyes. "Where are we? Are you really wanting to waste my Wednesday night?" She whipped around in her seat to seethe at the red head. Cat just smiled and proceeded to open the car door. Her colorful attire was bright enough to lighten the darkest of nights.

"House of Blues. Here's your ticket." Andre answered nonchalantly. "And don't blame her. You know she's just a bystander. Along for the ride."

"Andre, what are we doing here?" Eerily calm, Jade searched for answers from her piano man friend. She had encouraged Andre to keep his head up when some record label didn't want to sign him due to their Diddly Bops shenanigans. She actually admitted to being friends with him, but only him. Right now was a different story. She looked at Andre with daggers in her eyes.

"Read the ticket." Andre stated, pointing at the thick slip of paper in her hand. He wasn't even affected by the angry girl. "Cat! Don't run off please! Cat! Ah man." He yelled out his driver side window to the oblivious girl.

"'We're seeing VersaEmerge'? What's going on? I'm getting very impatient here and if you don't give me a real answer Andre, I swear I'll-"

"No need to threaten Jade. It's cool. We're meeting Tori here. It was her idea. Thought you needed a night out with friends." Andre stated matter-of-factly. Since he worked with Jade on one of his song projects, he wasn't so afraid of her anymore. He felt like he saw a different side of the goth-looking girl.

"_She_ is not my friend." It hurt Jade to even let that slip passed her plump lips. She turned her head to stare out the window, arms crossed, lips pursed. It was never spoken that she wanted the sun-kissed girl. But still, there was something brewing between them for sometime. Even if neither wanted to admit it, something was there.

"But _I_ am." Andre knew he had the upper hand in this. With a sigh, Jade despised to admit to herself that she was defeated on that front. Taking the silence as an agreement to his last words, he went on. "And I'm worried about you. You've been brooding more than usual. And that's a lot of brooding, Jade. Even for you."

Jade released her arms to fall to her lap. Her gaze fell on the cherry-red booted feet. She took a deep breath and let Andre's words settle in. Did Tori feel the same way as she did? Is that why she was so desperate to help the cranky girl? Jade did miss her. She was tired of fighting so she gave in. As she reached for the handle to open the door, she turned to Andre once more. "Fine. But owe me."

* * *

_**So as a present for all the great reviews you all will write for this chapter, (I'm hoping. It's like my crack, I swear) I just might post chapter 5 tomorrow. So get reviewing, even if it's anonymous and short. I love hearing from the readers. No pressure though... :) **_

_**I can even start doing shout outs if wanted. **_


	5. I Play My Game Underneath the Spin Light

**_A/N: Hey All. Like I promised yesterday, I would give another chapter. I know they are kind of short but when I write them, I end them when it feels right. But no worries. I plan on updating every other day for you. All the reviews make me feel giddy inside and I love hearing from you guys. _**

**_Shout Outs:_**

_Sloth13-** In my head, I pronounce it Mike-a. I know the feeling. I bugs me when I don't know the correction pronunciation of a character's name.**_

_kikouma-__** Andre gets even cooler in future chapters. And I felt like having a chapter with just Jade and Tori with their POVs of everything. I can do a Mika POV if you want.**_

_Theromaticgirl-__** I'm glad your addiction is a healthy one as in my story. I means a lot to hear. **_

**_Sorry if I left anyone out of the Shout Outs who wanted one. Let me know if you ever do. :)_**

**_Disclaimer: Still not the owner of Victorious_**

* * *

_**Chapter 5**_

_**I Will Play My Game Beneath the Spin Light**_

A cool-as-usual Andre, excited Cat, and reluctant Jade made their way through the entrance. Dragging her feet, Jade complained about how there were way too many people around her, it was too loud and any other reason to open her mouth in order to bitch. The Whole situation was pissing her off more than usual and a funny feeling crept into her gut about the whole thing.

"Andre." The boy turned around at the sound of his name. Jade continued when she got his attention. "You mentioned Tori was here?" She questioned, almost desperate. She tried to hide it but it was no use. She failed miserably at it. He heard that exact tone in her voice and smirked at it. Andre knew the grouchy girl had a soft spot for Tori, no matter how much she would deny it or put down the brunette. Jade hadn't seen Tori since the whole closet incident, which happened almost two days ago. This week was so twisted, and it had only been three days.

"Yeah. We're supposed to meet her right here at the front doors. I'll text her. Watch Cat, please." Andre commanded Jade. She did what she was told, reluctantly. He hoped to God this plan would work. Otherwise, the pale girl would have all their heads for it.

With a sigh, Jade took Cat's hand so she wouldn't run off. More and more people were arriving to the venue. Her impatience was growing and so was her headache. "I want cotton candy!" Cat's bouncing voice rolled into Jade's ear making the pounding in her head worse.

"Cat, what is this, a carnival? They don't sell cotton candy. Now shut it." Cat just pouted at Jade's reaction. 'I need a drink.' With her free hand, Jade rubbed the bridge of her nose, then proceeded to physically attempt to gouge out her own eye ball when she heard a voice calling her name. Her head snapped up, searching through the ever growing crowd.

She finally spotted the object of her growing affection and instantly calmed down. Jade was relieved but felt strange at the same time by this sudden change in her demeanor. The only other person that had this effect on her was Beck and that was minimal compared to Tori. An involuntary smile crept onto her face. "Tori." Jade Whispered. As soon as she felt the grin, Jade quickly erased it and averted her eyes to Andre to get his attention. Her mind was losing the ever growing internal battle against her heart.

"Hey guys." Tori announced her arrival. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the smile on Jade's face even though it disappeared quickly. Tori was giddy on the inside that maybe she had a chance, but they still had to talk about everything, first. 'Please let this not blow up in my face. It took this long for Jade to even look at me for longer than a second.' Tori mulled over in her own mind.

"Hey Tori." Andre and Cat welcomed warmly. Jade just stood there with her arms crossed, looking up. Tori sighed. 'Maybe not.'

"What about me?" Chimed in Trina.

"You brought Trina? Really?" Jade expressed with annoyance as she brought her line of vision down to finally meet Tori's eyes. "Really Tori?" Intolerable was not the word that came to mind when Jade thought of Trina. There was no word for it.

"Jade, please? She was my ride. Be nice, for everyone's sake." Tori pleaded with the angry girl. All she wanted was for this plan to work. She thought that if she could break down the stubborn girl bit by bit, Jade would give in and talk to her sister. Tori knew it was risky, but necessary.

Jade met the brown orbs of Tori. Every time this happened, the world fell out of sight. Things between them were growing. They felt it. The intense gaze between them couldn't even be broken by an earthquake, it seemed. Tori felt a shiver run down her spine when she tried to look away. It didn't happen. She lost herself in all that was Jade. The pain was evident in sea green. She could drown in them and be happy about it. Finally, Jade averted her eyes, a bit too quickly for Tori's liking. She then gave Tori a look that said 'you win, you always do.' "Fine, Vega."

"Hey! I'm right here!" Trina griped when she heard the two girls talking about her. Robbie then popped out of nowhere next Trina. He put his arm around the eldest of the 'group'. "Ew! No!" She quickly throw his arm aside in disgust.

"Hey all." Shrugging his shoulders, Robbie greeted the group.

"Great. And you brought Robbie. Next thing you know, Beck will jump out from behind the bar." Jade said sarcastically as she itched her wrist where the 'Under Age' wrist band wrapped a little too tightly for her comfort. She was getting antsy and a little suspicious that didn't sit well with her. It got worse when the whole gang showed up.

Tori walked up to Jade and put a hand on her shoulder. Jade twitched in surprise and a hint of joy. "I'm sorry, he sort of snuck in the car." Tori took one step closer to whisper in Jade's ear. She was so close, the pale girl could smell Tori's perfume without even trying. It was invigorating. She smelt like lavender. The tan girl dragged her hand down the all-black wearing girl's arm purposefully. "I'll owe you one if you go along with this. Please?" Tori's breath on Jade's ear made her knees weak. 'Tori's being bold, very, very bold.' she thought.

"Okay." Jade breathed out, barely audible. Yet, Tori heard loud and clear. She pulled back with a knowing smirk forming on her lips and Jade turned around to face the sun-kissed girl. Their eyes met and held once again, Tori's hand still holding Jade's wrist. The moment felt like forever.

"Uh, guys?" Andre interrupted. With that, the two jumped away from each other, knowing they were caught. Andre just shook his head with a grin plastered on his face. "You got the passes?" He asked his Latina friend.

"Uh yeah." Tori answered, rummaging through her bag for the items she was searching for. Jade's studded eye brow rose in curiosity.

"What passes?" Cat asked.

"For backstage." Tori answered simply.

"Where did you score backstage passes from?" Jade inquired. She was a bit weary of what band they were really here to see.

"I won them on the radio." Tori stated. Locking eyes with Jade, trying to be convincing. Jade sighed after a few seconds and dropped the subject, looking satisfied with the brunette's answer, for now. She went on to study her nails nonchalantly.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Let's go!" Andre piped up as he swiped the passes from Tori's hand and began to pass them out to his friends. They headed to the entrance for back stage.

"Tori, wait." Before Tori could go with the others, Jade grabbed her arm. "Why are we really here?" Her hand still in place on Tori's arm.

"To see VersaEmerge. I know you enjoy them." Tori replied as she turned to go. Jade gripped harder to get her to stay. Tori stopped as commanded. "What?" She asked in an innocent voice, shrugging her shoulders.

Jade studied the brown eyes in front of her. "Out of the blue?" She asked, both eye brows raised.

"No. I wanted to do something nice for you." It was partly the reason. 'Please believe me. It's true, well sort of.' "Come on. We're gonna miss the show." Jade didn't move. "Please? Just enjoy tonight."

"Okay." Jade gave in, once again. She was losing touch in what she was suppose to do, keep Tori out. She let a smirk slip onto her lips as her and Tori went to catch up with the rest of the group.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Give it up for your second act of the night, 'THE STATE OF!'" The announcer yelled excitedly into the microphone. The crowd erupted into roars and cheers as their long wait for the second band to set up ended.

Mika stood behind her band mates, waiting for them to walk on stage and start the first song. As they did, she ran out, climbed the first amp and jumped off, starting the show off with her signature bang to the stage floor. Her black skinny jeans worked perfectly with her red and black checkered Vans. Her faded black 'Brand New' band tee finished off her regularly worn outfit for concerts. The music was pumping, audience out of control. Just the way the band loved it, so much energy. This was where Mika wanted to be, always. This was her personal escape and anger management. She could yell, pound and head bang to her heart's desire.

As the first song ended, she looked to her left, off stage, to see her guests that were watching from the side. She greeted the audience as her heart pounded from adrenaline and seeing her shocked sister staring at her, like a deer in headlights.

Right when Jade heard the band name announced, her heart jumped out of her chest. She tried to run but couldn't move, frozen where she stood. She stared at the lead singer who was her sibling. As the second song began, she whipped her head to face Tori after the first song. The skinny girl was too petrified to look in the combat boot-wearing girl's direction. "Won them on the radio, Vega? I knew it!" Jade yelled over the music, anger and laced with every word. Tori shut her eyes and hung her head in shame. Jade turned on her heel, looked to the stage, shook her head at her sister and stalked off.

Andre nudged Tori. "Well, that plan worked flawlessly."

"I know!" Tori expressed as she threw her arms up over her head dramatically. "I screwed up, okay! Thanks for the damn support Andre." Tori was angrier at herself than Andre but couldn't help project her frustrations on the boy.

"Back down, Godzilla. No need to snap." Andre said as he took Tori by the wrists to get her the calm down. He was definitely surprised by the outburst and cussing from the half Latina. "I told you to tread lightly, girl."

"How am I supposed to fix this?" Tori whined.

"Go after her. Don't be afraid of her. She won't hurt you, just yell, probably." Tori gave him a look that said, 'How do you know?' Andre answered. "Because she cares about you." Tori's jaw hung low. "No questions, I just know. Now go." With Andre's last command, Tori was off to find the girl that was definitely seeing red at this point over her own betrayal.

* * *

_**I know, I know. Another cliff hanger! I told you I was the Queen of Cliff Hangers. **__**So now you get to review for me :) Please? I'll get Ch 6 up by friday. Have a great end of the week all.**_


	6. The Archers Bows Have Broken

_**A/N: I'm baaaack! And it's a bit late on this friday evening. I apologize but I did get it in on the day I said I would. Once again, thank you for reviews and alerts. It makes me warm inside to read what you write me. It's also helpful. So thank you thank you thank you!**_

_**Anyway, I got some Mika in this one finally. And it's her POV as requested. :) I hope you like it as much as you like the other chapters. Here is your fix for the weekend. **_

_**Disclaimer: See chapters 1 through 5**_

* * *

_**Chapter 6**_

_**The Archers Bows Have Broken**_

"_I don't know why you insist on scolding the girl. She is just expressing herself." They were fighting again. Mika's psychologist of a mother yelled at her husband. _

"_With a hammer to the wall?" Mr. West retorted incredulously. _

"_Well, maybe if you didn't yell all the time, we wouldn't be worried about this type of behavior!" Mika rolled her eyes. He never paid must attention to her or Jade, except if he was yelling at one of them. _

"_What are you doing right now, Margo, lulling a baby to sleep!" This would not end any time soon, Mika feared. Their fights were getting more severe with every night that passed. _

"_Watch your temper, Todd. You know what the doctor said about your blood pressure." Margo faking concern. Mika rolled her eyes again, knowing that her mother didn't really care that much._

_"Oh, now you're worried about that? Great timing! You always have to change the subject when you know you're wrong!" Mr. West caught on. It happened every time._

_"Todd, I'm trying to keep you from having a heart attack right here in the living room. Plus, you'll wake up the girls." 'Too late' Mika thought. Chances were that Jade was wide awake and listening to every word being said about her._

_13 year-old Mika laid in her bed, darkness surrounding her, listening to the loud commotion going on downstairs. It was almost a nightly occurrence, only if both parents decided to come home at a decent hour. She sighed as she turned over and looked at the time. Why did they insist on doing this crap at midnight? Ever since her parents started fighting, she waited for her door to creek open. Any minute now. 3...2...1. 'knock, knock, knock.' "Mikey?" There it was._

_The door slightly opened to reveal a sliver of light from the hallway. Jade's head poked in through the doorway, giving her sister an expected look. With her big sea green-blue eyes, she pleaded with the bigger girl. Of course, to Mika, it wasn't even necessary to ask. _

"_Come on." Mika gestured for Jade to get in here before she changed her mind. That never happened though. She would let the kid sleep with her any time. She couldn't resist the little rascal. "You're lucky I like you" She added with a chuckle._

_Eight year-old Jade patted across the room to her knight in shining armor's bed with a grin plastered on her face. Relief washed over her despite the fact that she could still hear her parents arguing. But at least she didn't have to be alone. She climbed in under the covers Mika held up for her. _

_Mika pulled them over Jade as the young girl cuddled into her sister. She laid her head on Mika's shoulder, face in her neck, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. It calmed her into an ease of safety. _

"_Something is clearly wrong with her and we need to get to the bottom of it! I'm sick and tired of handling her with fire proof gloves!" 'Dad' was still at it._

_Mika felt something warm and wet on her neck and knew exactly what it was. This wasn't the first time their father made Jade cry and it certainly wouldn't be the last. The little one would never be Daddy's little girl. Deep down inside, Jade wanted to, like any other eight year old, but her hopes were dwindling fast. _

_Mika gripped her sad little sister tighter in her arms, whispering sweet nothings in her ear to try and cease her crying. Nothing broke Mika's heart quicker than this, having to hold a teary eyed baby sister because of their parents. _

"_Mikey?" Jade asked in a small voice. Mika 'hmmmed' in response. "I love you." With that, Jade lifted her head and pecked a kiss on Mika's cheek. She then laid her head back down, finally calm enough to drift off to sleep._

_Mika took in the sincere declaration. "I love you too, JJ. I love you too." She sighed as she planted her lips on top of Jade's head. "Everything will be okay. I'll always be here." Jade snuggled in a bit more and slipped into a comfortable sleep with a smile on her face for the first time in a while._

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Jade, Wait! Please! Let me explain!" Tori was desperately trying everything to convince the stubborn girl to stop and listen to her. It wasn't working, obviously. "Just give me a chance to talk to you!"

"Why should I, Vega?" Jade yelled still storming out of the venue and into the parking lot. She needed out.

"I'm just trying to help." Tori pleaded as she was trying to keep up with Jade's long and quick strides.

"By lying?" Jade stopped abruptly and spun around to face the terrified brunette. Tori stopped right before running right into Jade. "You lied to me Tori. You looked straight into my eyes and blatantly lied. I actually trusted you. Out of everyone in this group, you're the one I trust the most. I knew you were full of shit. Mika gave you the passes. Ugh! Just...go away." Jade confessed as she turned to walk off again.

"Jade please. I'm sorry." Tori put her hand firmly on Jade's shoulder in an attempt to stop her. Jade froze.

"You don't get to touch me right now." Jade said in a scary calm voice. It cut Tori straight through to her heart. She let her hand slide down Jade's arm and returned it back to her side. Jade's body involuntarily shivered.

"Jade, I'm trying. I know I should stay out of it, but I can't stand here and watch this eat you alive. It breaks my heart to see you like this. I didn't mean to lie. I'm so sorry." Tori honestly confessed to Jade's back with tears brimming to her eyes.

Her head down, Jade replied. "You betrayed me. I feel tricked, played like a pawn for someone's little game. Why do you even care?" Her voice came out so small. Tori never heard the boot cladded girl sound so broken.

"I never meant to hurt you Jade. I could never hurt you on purpose." Tori edged closer.

"This isn't some Tori Project, Vega. This is my life, my family. My fucked up family. My heart is on the line..." Jade's voice started getting louder.

"I know-"

"No Tori. You don't know! You have no idea what it's like to have the most unconcerned parents, divorced for that matter. What a fucking surprise! You don't know what it's like for your sister to be the only one to tuck you in at night, say I love you, protect you, know where you are at all times. But then she leaves Tori! She just up and leaves! She left me with no one! You think anyone else cared about me? I was 12 for God's sake! 12! My heart broke at 12 years-old and no one cared!" Jade yelled with tears streaming down her porcelain skin, makeup slightly running, chest heaving so hard, she almost couldn't keep up. Everything was falling apart. Her walls were finally crumbling to the earth like a cannon ball had hit her protective castle. A cannon ball that belonged to none other than Tori.

Tori took the blubbery mess that was left of Jade in her arms and held her, bringing her down to the curb to sit. She was finally seeing just how deep this cut was and boy, was it deep. Tori 'shhed' her to a lull where the tears ceased at last after what seemed like forever to the brunette. With Jade's head atop Tori's chest, she thought about the close proximity but didn't care anymore. She needed the warmth.

"You broke my heart today, Tori." Jade said with a cracked voice.

Tori was shocked. That was the very last thing in the world the tan girl wanted to do to the girl laying in her arms. "I know. I'm sorry. It will never happen again." She whispered. It was the only thing that could be said.

"I'm so tired, I can't even be mad. Can we just go?" Jade was done. All she wanted was a bed and sleep.

Defeated, Tori replied with a simple 'yes' and made their way to the car. She had her arm wrapped around Jade, hand on the pale girl's shoulder. Jade rested her head on Tori's shoulder. She loved the contact, but at the same time, she was still disappointed with the girl for lying right to her face.

"Do me a favor, Tori." Jade vocalized softly.

"Anything." Tori responded while texting Andre to take Robbie and Trina home. Thank God she took the keys from Trina. Jade would have to drive home though, due to Tori's failure to earn her license.

"Never lie to me again...Please?" Jade pleaded. She was unraveling so quickly in front of this girl.

"I know you hate them, but I promise." The skinny girl's answer was laced with honesty and love. Jade could almost feel just how much the teenager meant it. She believed her too.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mika's POV

The lights that filled the room blurred together into a massive ball. By this rate, I had drank so much that I didn't know which way up. The music pounded and the rest of the party goers were jumping around, having a good time, while I wandered through the doorway and landed on the kitchen floor with a thump and laughter. The room spun but that didn't stop me from chugging the rest of my beer that rested in my clamy hand. What I saw altered from light to dark as I rapidly blinked my eyes. The alcohol was too much for my brain. It was starting to affect not just my motor skills, but any type functionality. Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice from where I laid, sprawled out on the floor of the kitchen.

"Too much drinking again, Mika?" Evan (you know, my lead guitarist) asked from the counter where he stood watching me.

"I'm fine." I slurred worse than intended, lifting my head to look at him. "I'm not drunk...I'mmmm..." My thoughts failed me as the booze took over and I dropped my head to the floor once more. At least I couldn't think anymore. That is why I do this. So I don't have to think, about anything, at all. That, and I am considered a rock star. It's in my contract.

"What would Jade say, Mika?"He said with a concerned tone. I guess that whole thing about NOT thinking was out the window now. He eyed me after he walked over to where I lay and nudged me with his foot.

"Don't...bring herrr up." Anger was boiling in me when her name came up. I'm usually a fun drunk but when she is mentioned in conversation, I see red. Mostly at myself because let's face it, I'm a shitty sister. I have accepted the fate that my tiff with Jade will never be straightened out. I attempted to kick Evan but missed horribly.

"Come Bruce Lee. You need some air." He chuckled and helped me up, putting his arm around my waist in order to hold me up. We end up walking out to the backyard of one of our roadies' shitty house he rents off tour where the after party is held. He takes a seat in the grass before pulling me down to sit in his lap. He was tall enough to rest his chin on my shoulder while I braced my self by leaning back against him, his arms wrapping around my waist once more.

"I wish you would talk to me. You'd feel better." Evan is walking a very thing line at this point. I could feel the ire rising again from the pit of my stomach.

"Evan. I don't want to do this." I answered slowly for two reasons. One: I'm trying to sound somewhat sober and two: I want to make sure he gets the point clearly.

"You got this far. Why can't you be persistent with this whole Jade thing?" Oh Evan. Never the wiser.

I shot up from his lap and exploded. "I'm done with this! I'm sick and tired of taking the rap for this whole mess! For feeling like I'm the worst person in the world! My own fucking sister won't even talk to me!" I should really stop yelling because its upsetting my already fragile stomach. But I just couldn't. "Why do I even bother doing this time and time again? Coming back and breaking my own damn heart. Wishing she would just talk to me. I know everything is screwed up, but does it matter at all that I'm trying to fix it or that it hurts me too?" I took the lawn chair that sat next to where I was standing and chucked it with all my might and grunt, chest heaving, heart crumbling.

"Babe, I've watched you this whole time and you never gave up, not once. Don't start now. Not when you finally got the courage to go to her school and talk to her." He got up from the ground and walked over to me, kissing me on the cheek and pulling me into a hug while I let the flood gate open.

* * *

_**Well, there you have it. Review now! Sorry to raise my voice. I'm just tweaking a bit. Just one request from me: review, please? :) Maybe I'll give you a Sunday surprise if you do... :)**_


	7. The Ice is Getting Thinner

_**A/N: Hey, hey, hey. Thank you for all the attention I have received from all you dedicated readers. It means the world. :) And sorry about any technical hiccups that anyone noticed with chapter 3. The chapters got mixed up and it was just a mess. And due to this, I posting this earlier than expected. **_

_** Side note: I have decided to put a recommendation I received into effect (thank you Tyranny Kassle). It's a minor technical, grammatical tweak that might go unnoticed. I just wanted to give a heads up. **_

_**Enjoy! You all earned an early update. :)**_

_**Disclaimer: See chapter 1**_

* * *

_**Chapter 7**_

_**The Ice is Getting Thinner**_

"Come on Mika! Open up!" Kelly, the blonde drummer of 'The State of', pleaded with the stubborn West girl. "Stop being such a pain in the ass and let us help you." She continued to bang on the door, but to no avail. She backed away, then tried to surprise attack the door with her shoulder. "Ow! Evan!" She called down the hall, attempting to rub the pain away. They were back at the apartment they rented when in town since LA was where they did their recording.

"Yeah? What was that?" Evan exclaimed as he made his way to Kelly.

"Can you help me get her out of there? She's been in there all day." Kelly answered.

The jet black haired guitarist took over. "Okay. I got this." He went to his room, out the window, maneuvered his way on the fire escape to Mika's window, and snuck through. "Mika, wake up." Evan ordered.

"She's never gonna forgive me." Mika muffled into her pillow.

"Come on. Keep your head up." Evan attempted to comfort to poor girl. He sat at the edge of the bed and rubbed her back.

"Evan, you didn't see the anger in her eyes." Mika lifted her head. Her eyes showed all the pain she was feeling.

"We spoke about this last night, Mika. Who are you to give up? What would that say about you if you left LA again, without getting her to hear you out? You've already chickened out the last 10 times you tried this. Where is the girl I know and love?" Evan stated matter-of-factly. He swiped the loose hair from her pale, tear stained face.

"I know. I'm just scared really. What if she reacts like my parents?" Mika asked, fear lacing her voice.

"If you think Jade is anything like your parents, you are seriously disturbed, babe." He stated with a chuckle and kissed her forehead for good measure. "She needs this just as much as you do. Both your hearts deserve to mend." Mika let Evan's wise words sink in.

He was the oldest out of the five that made up their band being a cool 25 years old. He knew how Jade was, because Mika was the exact same way. Stubborn, hard headed, extremely sarcastic, but full of love and hope. It was just, they never let anyone see any of the good if no one deserved to. If anyone could figure out a way to get Jade to sit down and listen, it was Mika. She did teach the younger West everything she knew.

"You will figure out a way to tell her. I promise. You're Mika fucking West for God's sake." He patted her on the bottom and got up from the bed. "Now let's go get something to eat. All this adult talk is making me hungry." Evan suggested. Mika threw the covers from her body and followed him out to the living room.

"Fine. But you're buying."

"I always do." He winked.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

'Why on earth did I agree to drive Cat and Tori to San Diego to some 'dead' woman's house again? Cat is such a moron.' Jade thought with a bored look on her face. She gripped the steering wheel of the piece of shit that Cat's brother called a car. She was soggy, cold and so over this whole week. She wasted her Wednesday night at that stupid concert thanks to Tori. Now she was wasting her Thursday night doing this mess. It wasn't for the strange reason she gave the two girls either. 'Because Tori gave me that look again. She has gotta stop with that.'

The three girls were driving back to LA after the fiasco Cat liked to call a road trip. Silence fell on them about 10 miles back. They were only half way home to everyone's dismay except for Cat who was asleep in the back seat. That left Tori and Jade to steal glances at each other every so often, but not say a word. They were still on rocky terms from yesterday. That car ride from the House of Blues was painfully quiet, Tori remembered, just like this one.

"That girl can fall asleep anywhere." Jade broke the silence as she glanced to the back seat and shook her head.

"Yeah." Tori mumbled as she absentmindedly stared at the stars above her. She didn't know what to say to Jade so she decided to keep her mouth shut. They fought all the way to San Diego so she wasn't in the mood to continue.

Jade loved silence but was not in the least bit used to Tori being so quiet. A twinge stung her heart. She felt...bad. Did she overreact last night? Was she too harsh? The raven-haired beauty hadn't formed these thoughts since she was a little girl when she actually cared if she caused someone to hurt.

"Vega..." Jade rolled her eyes. "Vega..." Still nothing. "Tori!" Jade said just loud enough for the spaced out girl to hear while poking her in the ribs.

"AH! Hey! What?" Tori, irritated, replied.

"Sorry." Jade answered with a smirk. "This car sucks." She decided to avert from talking about their feelings, realizing that she really wasn't in the mood.

"Why didn't we take yours then?" A curious Tori inquired.

"I got in trouble at school." Simple Jade answer.

"For what, cutting up another trash can?" Tori prodded. Jade was silent. At that, Tori chuckled. "Of course it was."

"Shut up. Anyway, they told my parents and my mom convinced my dad, somehow, to actually parent long enough to take away my car for a month. He said he was tired of my poor behavior and wouldn't stand for it anymore." Jade uttered nonchalantly, rolling her eyes.

Tori decided to be bold. She turned to face Jade. "Why **do** you act like that?"

Jade taken aback by the question. Did she want to answer honestly or play along? "Act like what?" she questioned back coolly, making her decision.

"Like..." Tori stalled for thinking time. She shifted in her seat. "Like you don't care. Like how he says you act." Tori was on a slippery slope with this subject. She knew it was dangerous to ask anything about Jade's home life.

Jade took a minute before answering, which made Tori regret asking the question. Jade didn't know if she could trust the girl sitting beside her in the passenger seat. She gave in, again. "At first, it was for attention. I thought negative attention was better than no attention at all. Now, it's because I'm used to it." She fell silent. She was slowly lowering the drawbridge, little by little. She looked straight at the road, not wanting to give away everything all at once. "Tori?"

"Yeah Jade." Tori said while spinning her head to face Jade once more. She was happy her first name was used so delicately. It was happening more often lately.

"I'm not..." Deep breath. "I'm not always mean. I mean I am, but it's usually only to cover up the good." Jade gave away her secret as she opened Pandora's Box and there was no turning back.

"What do you mean?" Tori perked up with intrigue.

"Well, remember...Remember when we looked for those stupid letters in the ice cream to spell 'Kesha' to win a private concert and you were sooo desperate because it meant that you didn't have to be Trina's slave anymore?" Jade asked. Her palms were getting sweaty. She gripped the steering wheel tighter, knuckles turning white. The pale girl continued to stare forward.

"Yeah..." Tori had no clue where this was going but she had a good feeling about it.

"Even though I complained the whole time, I didn't actually help in order to attend the concert." Jade was too deep to back out now.

"Then why did you help?" Tori uttered with an eye brow raised.

Jade gulped. "I did it to help you. I don't even really like Kesha." She held her breath waiting for Tori to respond.

"Yeah right. That's why you were dancing to her music the whole time." Tori didn't believe the girl sitting next to her one bit, felt like it was just Jade being Jade. She eased back into her seat and looked out the side of the topless car.

"I wanted to dance with you..." Jade was hating the fact that she had to spell the whole thing out to the half Latina. She didn't dare to look to her right.

Tori's breath hitched in her throat. "Me? Why me? Beck was right th—-"

"It's always been you Tori." Jade's voice was never softer than right now. Her gaze forward. The drawbridge finally hit the ground. Everything in Tori was tingling and the butterflies in her stomach were doing flips. It was real. She was so excited. She thought she ruined everything last night. She came to terms with her feelings long ago. It was all only a matter of time. Suddenly...

"Jade...JADE!" Tori screamed. Jade jerked to steering wheel to get the car on the right side of the road. They narrowly missed the truck that was coming straight at them. Tori looked down to see Jade's arm across her chest in a protective manner and smiled. Jade took a glance, her cheeks burning red and yanking away her arm.

"Sorry." Jade apologized, embarrassed. She looked behind her to check on Cat. Still out cold. After a few moments of silence, Jade spoke again. "Tori...say something. Please." Jade's chest was about to explode.

"You almost killed us." Tori knew what Jade wanted her to reply to.

"Tooriiii." Jade whined. Tori just chuckled.

"Alright! I may have wanted to dance with you too..." Tori answered the question honestly, biting her bottom lip. She turned her body to look at Jade again. The wonder that radiated off the misunderstood beauty was evident. She was gorgeous from head to toe, no matter what she wore. It was a mystery how Tori hadn't died from all the times Jade took her breath away. She moved her left hand from the back of her seat to brush a damp, loose strand of hair away from Jade's face, then let her hand linger on her porcelain neck.

Jade audibly gulped at the contact and the dancing butterflies in her own stomach got stronger. She risked a glance to her right. She saw the beautiful smile on Tori's face and Jade almost melted. She smiled herself at the thought.

Tori could see the blue in the pale girl's eyes more clearly. She never really noticed until now. They reminded her of the ocean coming in for high tide. It seemed when Jade was happy, the blue seeped through more. After a few of seconds, Tori returned her hand to the back of her seat. Jade was visually disappointed at the sudden lack of touch and warmth. A nice comfortable silence settled between the two for a bit.

"You know where I get my tough exterior?" Jade piped up, out of the blue.

"Where?" Tori was interested to know the answer.

"Mika." Jade stated softly. Her heart fell as she said the name. This whole disaster of a situation was eating at her. Tori was silent, waiting to see if Jade wanted to continue. This was the first time the goth-looking girl brought up her sister. "When I was nine, this kid on the playground at school would constantly pick on me. I always waited there after school for Mika to meet me from Hollywood Arts so we could walk home together. Anyway, this kid, Vinny, would call me names and push me down. He bullied me, essentially." Jade paused thinking of the crappy memory. "One day, he decided to throw my back pack on the roof of the school. Guess who showed up a bit early and witnessed the whole thing?" Jade glanced over toward Tori raising her eyebrows.

"Mika." Tori said watching the color in Jade's eyes change from blue to a dark green. She knew this brought great pain to Jade.

"Yup. She walked over to the kid and socked him in the stomach." Jade smirked at the memory. "He fell to the ground, so she stood over him threatening, _'If you ever go near her again, I'll throw _**you**_ up on the roof.'_ So he nodded, got up and ran off scared to death. If you think I'm scary, never cross Mika." Jade's face was expressionless as she reminisced about her childhood. It was the first time she shared any part of it with Tori or really, anyone for that matter. "She turned, looked me straight in the eye and said, _'Never let anyone walk all over you. You're getting older now and it's time that you learn to stand up for yourself. No more being pushed around for Jade West.' _I never let anyone bully me again." Jade felt a tear slide down her face. She wiped it off before Tori could see.

"So, you guys were close?" Tori asked as she rubbed the back of her own neck.

Jade just nodded, not taking her eyes off the road, clearly still affected by the memory of her sister. Tori turned back around to face the road as well, knowing that Jade didn't want her to push any further for now. She let her hand fall to her side and tumbled into deep thought. Jade took a glimpse and saw her chance. She pulled her right hand off the steering wheel and lowered it to take hold of Tori's left one.

Tori was jolted out of her thoughts, looked down and smiled. The tingling feeling was back. She could feel it all over her body like a drug running through her veins. Intertwining their fingers, Tori looked up at Jade. She saw the smirk that crept onto onyx haired girl's rosy red lips. 'I can't wait to kiss those.' Tori thought as they enjoyed the rest of the car ride back to LA, no tension, no fighting, just them.

For the first time in a while, Jade could say that she felt genuinely happy.

* * *

**_I hope you loved the bit of Jori here. Things are starting to progress and surprises are around the corner, so REVIEW, lol and stick around. Thanks all. And did I mention, review please! _**

**_See ya soon... :)_**


	8. Kiss and Control

_**A/N: So, here's a new update. A special thank you for everyone who reviews, alerts, favorited me and this story. It really does have an impact on me, a good one. :) But enough of me. Lets get to the good stuff. (flashbacks are italicized)**_

_**Disclaimer: It should be obvious by now. See ch 1. **_

* * *

_**Chapter 8**_

_**Kiss and Control**_

Mika parked her six year old, black Jeep Wrangler a few blocks away from the modern, two story house like she always had. With its well manicured lawn and two car garage, the pale yellow structure stood calm and quite. There was a black 1969 Chevy Camaro in the half circle driveway. 'Typical Jade.' Mika chuckled to herself. But she bet her mother's BMW was sitting, spotless, in the garage. Mika's father moved out about a year after she left. That was followed by the inevitable final step of divorce.

Mika had gotten her own car for her Sweet 16 and still drove it, never being one for fancy materials even though she had the official 'rock star' status. Plus, she was always touring anyway, she had no need for a car most of the time. It was the only real nice thing she could remember her parents ever doing for her or even Jade. Even though Mika wasn't around, she was sure her parents didn't change their ways of 'parenting,' if you could call that parenting. It made her blood boil just thinking about how Jade had to put up with them, virtually alone.

Carefully rounding the corner, passed Jade's car, Mika snuck her way to the side of the house where the window she was looking for was located on the second floor. She jumped up, grabbed the nearest branch, and pulled herself up to climb the tree. Like she had done a thousand times before, Mika used the roof of the rap-around porch to reach her destination. She hadn't done this in almost two years. She quietly opened it and snuck in. The room was...a workout room? The only light came from the waning moon outside that shone through the window. But it was clear, this room did not belong to Jade anymore.

"What the hell? She must have switched rooms." Mika mumbled to herself. So she walked over to the door, grabbed the door nob, slowly opened it and poked her head out. Of course the coast was clear. It always was. Mom was always too busy in her office downstairs to pay attention to the fact that her eldest child was essentially breaking and entering. She stepped out into the hallway and inspected the remaining doors. She passed her little brother, Jasper's room, dragging her fingers along the door and sighed. She never really got to know the little guy, he only being four years old when she left. She finally laid her eyes on her old bedroom door all the way at the end of the hall. Her heart sank when she realized that Jade had moved into that particular room of the house, the "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here" sign hanging from the door gave it away.

"She moved into mine? Oh Jade." Guilt poured into Mika's heart. With a deep breath and loud gulp, the brunette reached for the black nob. Pushing the door open slowly, Mika stood there, in her old room, taking in what her baby sister did with the place. Jade was nowhere in sight. She glanced at her watch. Midnight. She took this time to observe.

Mika took in the black wooden panels that meshed with the dark patterned walls, purple over sized chair, her old queen sized bed with a black comforter complete with blood red sheets, and an array of crazy specimen on the shelves. 'Those are crazy cool. Huh.' Mika marveled. She was in awe at how amazingly morbid the younger girl turned out to be. But she was proud at the creativity that the room reflected of her kid sister. Her boot-covered foot kicked a t-shirt that looked familiar, so Mika picked it up. Holding it out, she recognized it as her favorite 'The Clash' tee that she didn't even know she forgot. Jade had it? Mika's spirit rose a bit but she brought herself down not wanting to disappoint herself. With a shake of her head and deep sigh, Mika folded and placed it on the half made bed.

She continued her tour around the dark room, stopping at the book shelf where books upon books sat. She remembered helping Jade learn to read. Now she read anything and everything, it looked like...

"_I don't wanna! I hate that book!" The six year-old Jade announced. _

"_Come on JJ. It won't take long. Just give me ten minutes." Mika attempted to persuade the little girl. _

"_Nooo. I hate reading." Jade pouted as she crossed her arms in a huff._

"_Why do you always have to be so difficult?" No answer. Just a cranky little rugrat she called her sister. "Okay. How about this. If you don't give me ten minutes of reading, I won't sneak the ice cream out of the freezer later." Mika threw in an arched brow for good measure. A classic West move. She would not lose this battle. _

_Jade thought long and hard about her 11 year-old sister's threat. Then she dropped the facade. "But, I can't...I can't do it Mikey." Jade confessed, her bottom lip dropping a bit further. _

_Mika got up from the couch and walked over to her sister who was sitting on the carpet in front of the TV. She leaned down to Jade's vision and held her gaze. "Never say 'can't.' You can do anything you put your mind to. Got it?" Mika got a nod in response. "Okay. Now let's go read." She stood straight up, helped Jade to her little feet and walked her over to the couch. _

"_Are you still gonna steal the ice cream later?" Jade looked up as she asked the question._

"_Duh. You think I was actually gonna go through with that? I want ice cream too." Mika answered with a tiny giggle. _

As she came back to reality, Mika shook her memories aside. Her attention turned to the next thing she spotted in the room. A lone shelf held items that once decorated the room when it belonged to her. If one were to glance around the room, the shelf would easily be missed.

Did she still care? Mika glazed over her own soccer trophy she won when she was 9, old CDs she lost long ago, a well worn LA Dodgers hat. Then she spotted her most prized possession as a child; her teddy bear named, Ted. It wasn't dusty like the other knickknacks on the shelf. It had been moved, used even. "Hmmm..." She then stopped on a lone frame with two little girls, smiles wide, a younger Mika's arm around a shorter Jade. She picked it up and studied the old picture. A single tear slid down her rosy cheek.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jade pulled the 'chiz box' into Tori's driveway. They finally made it back, in one piece, still wet from head to toe. The two front seat occupants continued their hand holding. They were both slightly sad that the trip was over. They found out that they really could enjoy each other's company without ripping anyone's head off. Jade hadn't genuinely smiled like this since she and Beck split. But it was Tori that accomplished the difficult feat this time around.

With a sigh, Jade reluctantly let go of Tori's hand, put the car in park, turned to engine off and pulled the keys out of the ignition. With a small smile thrown to Tori, Jade turned to the back seat occupant.

"Cat. Wake up. We're back." No response. "CAT!" Jade yelled while poking her in the ribs, knowing that that was basically the only way to wake up the sleeping red head.

"AHHH! Whaaat?" Cat cried rubbing her eyes as she looked around to get used to her surroundings.

"We, are home. Get out." Jade stated, not really possessing the patience to wait for anything. She was way too tired to deal with it.

"Kay Kay." Cat hopped out of the back seat and made her way to the front door of the Vega house. The other two girls did the same, Tori hip checking Jade playfully while carrying her and Cat's science project. That landed her a slight punch in the arm and a the cutest smirk Tori had ever seen. Jade took the project from the tan girl and carried it the rest of the way to the house. Tori blushed with a mumbled thank you as she tucked a piece of brunette hair behind her ear.

"Oh no..." Cat suddenly uttered.

"What is it Cat?" Tori asked reaching for her house keys.

"I gotta pee. Gotta pee. Gotta pee." Cat frantically announced.

Jade rolled her eyes. "Come on Vega and open the door. We wouldn't want Cat here to pee her pants." Jade statement dripped with sarcasm. She crossed her arms. That would make the pale girl crack up.

"Okay okay!" Tori said while unlocking the door. "There."

Cat pushed the door open and ran to the downstairs bathroom, leaving the other two still standing at the door. Tori took the project from Jade, placed it inside the house and shut the door to give them some privacy.

"Well, thanks for walking me to the door." Tori muttered looking at her shoes.

"Nothing to it. I didn't do it for you. I did it for Cat." Jade retorted. Tori looked up and gave her a 'cut the crap' look. Jade rolled her eyes again. "Fine! I did it for you. And you're welcome." Jade verbalized, looking down, kicking a stray stone.

"Jade?" Tori asked, feeling the tension.

"Yeah?" Jade's hopeful voice peaked out, much to her dismay. She cursed herself.

"I really appreciate you sharing some of your childhood with me back in the car." Tori stated with new found confidence, locking eyes with the onyx beauty.

"Don't mention it. Thanks...for listening...caring." Jade replied. She could hardly breathe with Tori's auburn eyes staring straight into her soul. It was more powerful than any similar moment she ever had with Beck.

Tori reached to uncross the stubborn girl's arms and held both of her hands in her own smaller ones. "Remember, I'll always care...about you." She gave Jade a small smile, let go of her hands and reached for the door.

"Tori..." Jade piped up as she reached to catch Tori's chin to stop her in her tracks. The brunette turned her head back to face Jade. Their eyes locked for the thousandth time that day, green-blue swirling with gorgeous brown. 'This is it.' Jade thought to herself. "Can I kiss you goodnight?" The question slipped past her lips before she could stop it. She kicked herself. 'That was smooth.'

But Tori just nodded dumbly, still not fully understanding that this was actually happening. Jade took the small step that separated them and gently caught Tori's face with both hands and moved in. With slightly parted lips, she fluttered her eyes closed and took a deep breath as their lips softly touched for the first time. It was nothing like Tori thought Jade would kiss like. This kiss was slow, tender, loving, soft, perfect. Not rough or hard like her solid exterior to keep people out. She wrapped her arms around Jade's waist as they both pulled each other closer, deepening the kiss. All the movie cliches came to Jade's mind; fireworks, swelling music, singing birds. Then she remembered that she was kissing Tori Vega. And it was amazing, better than amazing. It was perfect.

After what seemed like an eternity, Jade pulled back and rested her forehead on Tori's as she lovingly caressed the tan girl's cheek with the pad of her thumb. Tori gripped her arms tighter around Jade. Both girls tried to steady their heavy breathing. Their eyes were still shut as they basked in the intimate moment neither of them thought, but wished, would actually happen.

"I thought you hated when people asked 'can I kiss you?'" Tori spoke the first coherent thought that came to her clouded mind, eyes still closed, smirk on her face.

"Have you been creeping my Slap page, Miss Vega?" Jade asked as she slowly opened her eyes. She took Tori's arms from her own waist and placed them around her neck. She repositioned her own hands to Tori's hips. At the movement, Tori's eyes opened, as well. Brown mixed with green-blue yet again.

"So what if I was, Miss West? What are you gonna do about it?" Tori challenged with the big grin plastered on her face.

"This..." Then Jade leaned in for another breath taking kiss with Miss Vega. Tori played with Jade's curls as she took in the rosy lips that made her swoon inside. She reluctantly pulled back, breaking the kiss. Something in Jade panicked. She spoke with her eyes squeezed shut. "Tell me there's something here, Tori. That it's not a sick trick or dream. Please tell me this is real. I can't take anymore heartache." She was on the verge of tears. The thought of this all being fake was overwhelming.

"Jade, look at me." Tori desperately commanded. Jade slowly opened her eyes to take in the most beautiful sight in front of her, in her arms. "This is very real. This is all real for me. You don't have to worry about that. I _promise. _I won't misplace your heart._"_ The love and sincerity in Tori's voice instantly brought Jade back from her pessimistic thoughts, for now.

Jade took a much needed deep breath. She responded by hugging the tan girl tight. She was so scared that if she let go, none of it would be real and someone would pull the rug from underneath both of them, making them crash hard back down to reality. But Tori, hugging just as tightly, in Jade's arms was their reality.

"Thank you. I better go." Jade whispered in Tori's ear sending shivers down the brunette's spine. Jade felt it and chuckled as she backed away from the beauty that she was quickly and recklessly falling for. "You better go check on Cat. And tell her I'll get her brother's piece of shit car back tomorrow."

"Okay. Text me later?" Tori asked as she let her hands glide down the leather-covered arms of Jade.

"Sure. Goodnight." Jade replied as she kissed Tori on the cheek. But that didn't satisfy Tori as she took hold of Jade's face and locked lips with her for the third time that night. "Now that's a goodnight kiss." Jade breathlessly whispered as the kiss ended.

"Goodnight Jade." Tori said as she bid her final farewell. With one last glance and smirk, Jade made her way to the crappy car. No one could erase the wide smile she had on her lips. She was finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and that light was Tori.

* * *

_**8 chapters in and we finally see some Jori action. Drama will soon ensue because lets face it, its a Jori fanfic. So review, review, review and maybe another surprise will come your way... :)**_


	9. Quiet Things That Know One Ever Knows

_**A/N: This is your surprise :) A next day update. You are all welcome. It's my thanks to you for reviewing and making me feeling good about this story. It's amazing to see just how many people read it. It means the world. **_

_**So here is chapter 9 :)**_

_**Disclaimer: See ch 1**_

* * *

_**Chapter 9**_

_**Quite Things That No One Ever Knows**_

Jade parked Cat's brother's 'car' behind her own Camaro. How she wished she had just stolen her own car to go to San Diego. Then maybe she wouldn't be in danger of catching death. It's what her mother would tell her when she went outside without a coat when it rained.

She sighed as she pushed the door open and exited the car, taking in the squashy sound of her Dr. Martens on the hard concrete. But she didn't really care because the night ended fantastically. 'Oh my God...I kissed Tori. And it was perfect.' Jade reminisced as she made her way to the front door to her house as a dumb smile laid on her lips. She spent so many nights dreaming of that moment when her lips would touch Tori's, of course, after she accepted her feelings.

She reached the front door, unlocked it, and headed inside. On the way to the stairs, she had to pass her mom's office. She would usually sneak by because she never really wanted to talk to her anyway. But Jade was too much in her own world, sitting on cloud nine to remember. Her mother reminded her quickly what reality they were currently in.

"Jade? Could you come in here, please?" Her mother asked without a glance up from her desk. The woman's voice stopped Jade dead in her tracks. 'Dammit,' she muttered under her breath. All good thoughts about Tori dashed and were replaced with feelings of dread. Now she had to speak with her mother.

She made her way into the office, standing in front of the desk. "Yes, Mother?" She answered in a sarcastic tone.

Margo finally looked up, tilted her head forward, slipping off her glasses and giving Jade a look that said, 'don't push me tonight.' She leaned back in her chair. "Please, sit." She politely commanded.

"I'd rather stand. What is it?" Jade replied, shifting her weight to one leg, tapping the other impatiently and crossing her arms in a protective stance.

"Where have you been? It's almost midnight. You know how I feel about that on school nights. And plus, you're grounded." Margo stood her ground, knowing very well that she would most definitely get a nasty answer back. Let the games begin.

"One, I was helping a friend out. Two, it's only school. And three, you guys only took my car away for a month, which I did not take out." Jade retorted, holding out a finger for each point she made.

"Not this time." Margo sighed. She wasn't a horrible mother. She just had enough with Jade's attitude. What made her little girl so defiant and cold? It must have been the divorce, so she took a different approach. "Listen Jade. I know the divorce was hard on you and-"

"Oh God. Not this shrink shit again. You listen _Mom_. You have clearly 'misdiagnosed' me if you think I'm angry because you and your ex-husband couldn't get your shit together and be actual parents. You need to go back to school." With that famous display of Jade, she turned on her heel and marched out of the office and up the stairs. She was fuming at this point. Her mother was blinder than a damn bat. She never really parented anyway even though she liked to say she did to keep up appearances.

Before she headed for her room, she stopped in the bathroom and closed the door. She took a good hard look in the mirror. "I will never end up like that mess downstairs." She splashed some water on her face to cool down her temper. Wiping her face on a towel, she pulled out her cell, and scrolled to text Tori.

**Hey. I'm home. And I may or may not...miss u already. **When Jade went soft for someone, it happened quickly. She swiftly brushed her teeth when she felt a vibration in her pocket.

**I'm glad to hear that. :) And awww. I miss u too. **In Tori fashion, the brunette's message made Jade roll her eyes but this time in a good 'you're way too cute for me' way. She typed in her reply and pressed the 'send' button.

**Look at that. Ur turning me into a typical teen girl. All soft and shit. **She made her way through the bathroom door, taking the steps to her room slowly as she fell back into the trance of Tori.

**I'll take that as a good thing lol. U going to bed soon? **Jade opened the text and leaned against the railing of the stairs that sat almost the full length of the hallway, just enjoying the conversation.

**Yeah. I'm exhausted. I'll text u tomorrow. Good night Tori... :) **She never smiled in texts. What was she, 12 again?

**Sounds great. Good night :) **Jade shook her head and smiled at how much she thought the tan her was cute. 'She will be the happy death of me.' With the conversation over, Jade took the last few steps to her room and opened the door. Looking up, the sight she saw made her gasp and drop her phone.

"What are you doing here?" Jade commanded in a harsh but shaky tone.

"Jade..." It was all Mika could muster as she turned around and her eyes teared up instantly. Busted. "Fuck."

"Seriously. Why are you in my room? How did you even get in?" Jade's voice was still quivering but she tried desperately to even it out. She could feel everything breaking. Her heart, heart emotions, her walls. Everything.

"Through the window. I needed to come. I tried but can't stay away anymore Jade. You weren't even suppose to know I was here." Mika scrambled for an explanation. There really wasn't a way to clear things up.

"Why is it so important now? Why now?" Jade's voice was climbing higher with each word. She leaned back on her bed. She needed answers fast. Jade was on the verge of a complete breakdown. She could feel the tears stinging her eyes. Her hands made their way up to her raven hair, staying put on top of her head. "Why?" She whispered this time. How she wished Tori were here.

"It's always been important to me. You have no idea." Mika dared to walk up to Jade and leaned against the post at the end of the bed facing her heart broken sister. She sighed before answering. "Remember those postcards you would randomly find in your room when you were younger, like 13?"

Jade nodded at the memory. The post cards were from random cities like Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, even London and Toronto. None of them were marked or even written on, just blank post cards. Jade never could figure out where they all came from. They just showed up at various times in her room. Subconsciously, she knew exactly where they came from. Mika took a deep breath and prepared to unravel the past slowly. "They stopped like a year ago...Wait, how did you-" It all finally clicked in Jade's head.

"Those post cards were from me." Jade's dark eyes shot up to connect with her sister's hazel-greens. A whole new fire was ignited in her and she was ready for a fight or run the fuck out of there, down the street until she reached Tori's house. Either way, one of them had to happen.

"What?" Venom poured from Jade's mouth as evident shock shined in her wide eyes. She pushed herself off the bed and got in Mika's face. "You are telling me that for the first four years you disappeared, you came back, snuck into my room to leave post cards for me? What the fuck kind of sick joke is that Mika!" She was seeing red.

Mika stood tall, ready to rumble. The sisters stood toe to toe. "It wasn't a joke Jade! It was my way of coping. I would get them while touring. I needed to make sure you were okay. You were an innocent bystander in this mess."

"Oh, what mess Mika? You left me here with them, of all fucking people! You know exactly what they're like! Did you really think they would change just because you ran off? How many times did I cry in your arms at night because they were fighting about me!" Jade took a step back to emphasize her point with her hands.

Silence fell between the two as they stood a foot apart now. Both chests heaving as they tried to steady their breathing and heart rate. Mika was the first one to speak.

"There was a reason I left, Jade." Mika attempted to explain herself once more.

"Please, Mika. Enlighten me with your reasoning as to why you abandoned me." Jade retorted, tapping her toe a bit too impatiently.

"It wasn't—-"

"Jade?" A muffled voice came from the other side of the bedroom door where the two West sisters were arguing. A knock soon followed. The girls' heads swung to stare at the door, then looked at each other, bug eyed. Mika backed up toward the window and put her index finger to her lips, signaling Jade to be silent. Jade rolled her eyes and answered her mother in the phoniest sweet voice she could muster.

"Hold on Mom. I'm indecent." Jade motioned for Mika to go. Off Mika went through the window, onto the roof of the porch, hopping down to the lawn. She took one last look up at Jade's window. They locked eyes one more time before Mika ran to her Jeep and Jade to her bedroom door.

"Jade?" Her mother tried again just as the door swung open.

"Yes, Mother?" Jade replied with an eye roll.

"No one is in here with you? I heard two voices." Margo asked, suspiciously.

"I was on the phone with the speaker on." They stood there after Margo eyed her daughter and nodded. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" Jade inquired, her impatience obvious.

"I guess not. I just thought I heard a familiar-" Margo was interrupted.

"Nope. Just a friend, on the phone. Good night Mother." Jade quickly answered, while closing the door.

"Good night Jade." Margo mumbled as she stared at her younger daughter's bedroom door. She let her thoughts roam into memories when this room belonged to her eldest daughter. Quickly pushing it aside, she started the trek downstairs back to her office. It was going to be a long night for her.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mika sat in the driver's seat of her Jeep, catching her breath from the altercation with Jade and almost getting caught by her mother. The adrenaline was making her heart work overtime. It was a close call. As least she had time to set her most recent post card from Boston on Jade's desk. The message was short and sweet. 'I'm sorry.'

She pounded a couple times on her steering wheel with her fist in frustration. This was ridiculous. Every time she had her chance, something got in the way. With one last deep breath, she placed her key in the ignition when she heard knuckles rapping at her window. She jumped at the sudden sound from the dark night. She looked to see a boy, about 17, dark Aladdin like hair. She turned on the car and lowered her window cautiously.

"Can I help you, Aladdin?" Mika asked with her guard up. Who was this kid?

"Why were you leaving Jade's window? Who the hell are you?" The boy demanded. He reminded Mika of a little kid trying to be intimidating but coming off as more adorable than daunting.

"Aw, aren't you precious. First of all, why are you demanding things Kid?" Mika was getting a bit agitated. Who does this kid thinks he is?

"Because you're sneaking out of my girlfriend's house!" His blood was boiling but it only made Mika laugh to herself.

"Girlfriend? Why would Jade date _you_?" Mika asked in disbelief. For a hardass, Jade sure did have soft taste in guys.

"Because I'm Beck Oliver." Beck said with his chest pumped out like a bird.

"Good for you Kid. Now backup. I gotta go." She reached for the gear shift.

"Not until you tell me who you are." 'This Beck kid is priceless', the older girl thought as she rolled her eyes.

"Fine. I'm Mika West." Mika simply stated with a raised eye brow. It took a bit of time for the light bulb to turn on before Beck understood who she was.

"West? You're related!" It was obvious that Beck had no idea what was going on at this point. Jade never told him that she had a...

"Yeah, good job Kid. I'm her sister. Now, can I go?" With a head nod from Beck, Mika pulled from her parallel spot and drove off, leaving a dumbfounded Beck on the side of the road. He turned around to look up at Jade's window, realizing she was full of more secrets than he could count. He pulled out his phone and found her name in his contacts and called her number. One, two, three, four rings.

"What now Beck?" Jade answered in a tiresome voice.

"Hey. Just wanted to say hi." Beck casually responded.

"Beck, I'm not ready for small talk with you. It's late. I'm going to bed." Jade sighed.

"Okay, good night." Beck added, defeated. The line went dead. Maybe he could ask Andre or Cat. He didn't know what to feel. He knew Jade kept little things from him, but she eventually would tell him in time. But this was never mentioned. How could he not have known she had a sister?

* * *

**Feel better? :) Mika and Jade get interrupted by Mom. Close call. Don't worry, if you keep reading, i promise Jade will find out Mika's story. And the real drama hasn't even hit yet. So hold on to your hats! I love drama, don't you? Then I get to resolve it.**

**And don't think I forgot to remind you... Review, review review. It's in your best interest... :)**


	10. Where Have You Been?

_**A/N: Wow. Chapter 10 already. It's been a few days, but I'm back. The reviews have been great thus far and it's really fueling my motivation to keep writing this story. So thank you for all the reviews. **_

_**Onwards to the juicy stuff. :)**_

_**Disclaimer: See ch 1**_

* * *

_**Chapter 10**_

_**Where Have you Been?**_

Tori walked into school with the brightest, pearly white smile. Everything was coming together for her and Jade. Last night was amazing, at least the end of it. Feeling like Jade might pull away after a night, she kept her fingers crossed. School couldn't come fast enough. She wanted see the raven beauty again. Playing it casual was a must because they needed to actually talk about what was happening between them. Tori was knocked out of her stupor by a rambunctious red head.

"Hey hey! Ready for science class?" Cat asked Tori brightly, standing next to the tan girl's locker.

"Yes I am. Our project is the shiz." Tori proudly answered.

"One time, my brother had to make a volcano for his science project and he ended up blowing up our cat." The red head rambled.

"Well...was the cat okay?" Tori asked a bit disturbed.

"No." Cat simply replied as she walked to science class.

Tori just blinked it off as usual. She felt her phone vibrate indicating a new text message. With a knowing smile, she opened it and read.

**Running late so can't meet u b4 class. C u after science. Good luck :) **Tori wondered what was keeping the pale girl but smiled anyway at the last part of the text. That was a definite first from Jade. The mere fact that the black nail polish wearing girl didn't go home and force herself to forget their kiss actually surprised Tori, considering just how stubborn Jade could be with basically everything, but especially anything that had to do with Tori. But she wouldn't let negative thoughts ruin her good mood.

**Thank you. :) Can't wait. **Cloud nine was where Tori was. She almost missed the warning bell for first period. Grabbing her books, she shut the door to her locker, glancing at Jade's after replying to the text.

Beck walked up to the locker at question and stood there like he was waiting for the owner. 'I wonder what he wants.' Tori asked herself, her eyes held much suspicion. She had a few more moments before getting to class on time so she started walking over to him but stopped to see Jade walking up with Andre. Something in Tori told her to get out of sight. So she decided to hide behind the wall where her own locker sat. The feeling in the pit of her stomach swirled around, making her slightly sick. She couldn't shake it.

"Thanks again for the ride Andre." Jade vocalized with appreciation, walking up to her locker. She didn't even process that Beck was standing there. But when she did, her smile from Tori's text faltered too easily.

"Hey, don't sweat it." Andre replied graciously. "See you in Sikowitz' class." He saw Beck give him a knowing look of 'I need to talk to her alone.' "Hey Beck." Andre greeted with a shake of Beck's hand as he walked off to class.

"Jade, I really need to talk to you." Beck stated. He was going to stand his ground on this, tired of being brushed off like their relationship never meant anything to the sea eyed ex-girlfriend of his.

"Not know Beck. I'm gonna be late for class." Jade retorted casually as she arranged the books in her locker and shoulder bag.

"No, now dammit! I'm tired of you pushing me away!" Beck was fuming. It was fueled by the fact that his former girlfriend kept something big from him for the almost three years they dated and he found out by himself.

Jade crinkled her eyebrows inward in disgust, a bit of surprised that Beck would speak to her that way. She turned her attention to the olive skin boy. "Listen Beck, when you can speak to me with resp-"

He interrupted her with his lips. Her eyes bulged out from shock. She was glued to the spot where she stood, not moving a muscle. Her head was the first to recover. So many incoherent thoughts spun around at warp speed. Beck was kissing her again. At one point, she wanted this, but that was weeks, maybe even months ago, and they were going on three weeks officially apart. A lot of things happened in that time span. Things Beck had no idea about. One, her feelings for Tori arose again. 'Oh God Tori!' she thought. The first rational thought that came to her mind; this was not Tori she was kissing and that felt all sorts of wrong.

Behind the wall, Tori's heart fell to the floor and broke into more pieces than she could count through her teary eyes as she watched Beck kiss Jade for what seemed like an eternity. She had no idea what to do. School seemed futile to a teenage girl when her heart was broken. She was distracted out of her horror with a text message, this one from Mika greeting her day with a simple 'hi.'

**Meet me at school, lunch time?** Tori responded quickly as she gathered herself to head to science before she was late. For some reason, she needed to see the older West. Tori dragged herself to class.

"Beck! What are you doing!" Jade shouted as she shoved him away. She was disgusted at his behavior. He had never done something like this. First talking to her disrespectfully and then ambushing her like this.

"Jade-" Beck back tracked.

"Ugh! I feel like I need a shower right now. What has gotten into you? What made you think I wanted you back? You know, I believed you when you said that being friends was good enough for you. I was even coming around. But now, I don't even wanna look at you." She slammed her locker shut and sauntered off to class just as the late bell rang. "And you made me late!" She yelled over her shoulder.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jade leaned on the doorframe to Sikowitz' classroom waiting for Tori to arrive. She bolted out of her last class to catch the tan girl before this one started. They were supposed to meet after first period but when Jade went to Tori's locker, the brunette never showed up or answered Jade's texts. 'What the hell happened between before first period and now, that warranted this type of treatment? The dreaded silent treatment...' Jade rambled in her mind.

She started picking at the black polish on her nails, patience escaping with every other person that entered the room. There was still three minutes before the late bell rang. Jade still had time. What did she do to upset the girl was beyond Jade. "Come on, Tori." She mumbled under her breath. Just then, Andre walked past her.

"Last time I saw her, she was headed to the bathroom." Andre said, helping out the raven haired beauty.

"Thanks Andre." Jade mumbled without taking her eyes off the bathroom door down the corridor after finding out the brunette's location. Andre disappeared into the room. Jade's foot tapped vigorously on the tile floor, continuing her nail picking and staring at the door. Two minutes...One minute. Suddenly, the door to the bathroom swung open. "Finally." Jade hissed under her breath and stood straight up.

She tried to lock eyes with Tori but the Latina's head was hanging down and her eyes were out of Jade's line of vision. So she called her name. Her heartbeat crept up to dangerous speeds as the girl that held her affections approached. "Tori."

The mentioned girl's head shot up instinctively. Her own heart skipped a beat at the sound of the beautiful girl in front of her calling her name. Then the sudden urge to punch Beck had returned when she saw him walk up to Jade, again. But the goth-looking girl didn't move a muscle toward him. He noticed and sped into the classroom. Tori's heart broke all over again, not aware that the kiss she saw between the two former lovers was one sided.

"Tori. What's wrong? Why are you avoiding me?" Jade asked in a hushed tone as Tori approached. She tried to sound even, without any hint of pain in her voice. It barely worked but came out demanding. She didn't have a lot of time before class begun so getting straight to the point was a must. It only fueled Tori's rage.

"I have class Jade." Tori replied with venom, as she tried to scoot pasted Jade, head down. The all-black wearing girl grabbed Tori gently by the arm.

"Tori, come on. Just talk to me. You won't even look at me. What did I do?" Jade was almost pleading by this time. Tori swiped her arm away with one last disgusted look and made her way into class and to her seat. "Tori...please?"

_Ring Ring Ring Ring Riiiiing!_

"Dammit!" Jade whispered under her breath. She didn't want to go to class. All she really wanted was to drag Tori to the janitor's closet and make her spit out whatever was bothering her.

"Come on Jade. In you go." Sikowitz herded his last student into class. With a huff, Jade repositioned her shoulder bag and headed for her chair, right behind Tori, for the start of class. All she did was bore a hole in the back of Tori's head with her green-blues the whole time. The feeling that Jade's eyes were glued on her gave Tori the shivers. She rolled her eyes and sighed it off. This would be the longest class ever.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mika sat in her Jeep that was parked in the lot at Hollywood Arts, waiting on Tori to meet her during her lunch. Different reasons for the unexpected meeting swirled through Mika's head. It most definitely had to do with Jade but how was she involved? When Mika tried to get Tori to elaborate as to why she needed to see her all of the sudden, Tori blew her off.

The passenger door being yanked open frightened Mika out of her thoughts. Tori got in and slammed the door shut. Mika hesitated, wondering if she should start the conversation or wait. The look on Tori's face was not a pleasant one. "So...What's up?" Mika treaded lightly.

"How could she just do that? Kiss the kid right there in front of everyone? I mean, no one wants to see that anyway. It's disgusting. He practically ate her face off. I could see him drooling. What the hell! How could she do that me!" There was no stopping Tori's tirade at this point, but it was getting difficult to keep up with her voice rising with every word.

"Slow down! You're gonna have a panic attack." That stopped Tori in her tracks as she tried to catch her breath before she hyperventilated. But her anger was still clearly evident. "Now first off, what happened?" Mika asked while turning around in her seat to face the ferocious brunette.

"Beck kissed Jade!" She blurted out.

"What does that have to do with you? Do you like Beck or something? And I thought they were dating." Mika asked scratching her head. What did anyone see in that peanut of a kid anyway? High school.

"They _were _dating. They broke up like a month ago! What, does he want her back or something? Does she want him back?" Tori exaggerated her point with the flail of her hands.

"So where do you fit in all this again?" Mika's head was reeling at the this point of the story, if you could call it that.

"Jade kissed _me_!..." Tori blurted it out without even comprehending her words. The silence in the car was deafening. "Oops... You didn't hear that. Please say you didn't hear that." The look of horror was written all over her face the minute those three words left her mouth. Tori felt like she could die right there in that Jeep. Mika had yet to speak. Taking the silence in, Tori rushed out of the car and back to school, her intended destination, the girls' bathroom.

'What...?' It was all Mika could think of, mouth still wide open.

* * *

**_Another chapter in the books. About half way through. I'll update soon. Promise. Only if you promise to review. (I'm glad I got this in before my 7 days was up. ;) )_**

**_So review...please? :)_**


	11. What Gets You Through the Night

_**A/N: I'm back, finally. It's only been a few days but I still feel bad. The reviews from last chapter made my day! Thank you so much. Please keep them up. So encouraging. Almost to 100 :) One more note, No Mika in this chapter but I promise, next chapter for sure. **_

_**Without further ado chapter 11 :)**_

_**Disclaimer: See Ch. 1 **_

* * *

_**Chapter 11**_

_**What Gets You Through the Night**_

Half the gang sat at their usual lunch table minus Tori, Jade, and Beck. Andre had witnessed Tori run into the school at top walking speed. Beck had yet to come outside at all. Jade was at a different table all together. He watched as she bolted out of her seat when Tori fled by. He got up off his own seat and stopped her, leaving Cat, Robbie, and Rex behind.

"Whoa there, tiger." He wrapped his arm around her waist for the least resistance from the determined onyx haired girl. He spun her around so as to face him.

"Andre, not now. I have something to do." Jade tried to side step him but he was too quick. She gave up and crossed her arms with a sour look painted on her face.

"First of all, what is going on? Everyone is mad at everyone. Tori's running around like she's on a rampage, you're chasing after in desperation and you are never desperate, and Beck is acting weird and looks like he's gonna cry. Now tell me what's wrong." He looked into her eyes. He thought he would get the look of death but instead, her sea colored orbs teared up. "Come on, girl." He took her in his arms and lead her to his car. Seeing THE Jade West fall. Now this was definitely a first.

Once they got settled in their seats, Andre dared to get Jade to talk to him once more. This time, it didn't take long for the damn to break. What was up with this girl who was usually so in control of everything.

"I don't know!" With that she let everything out in the safe arms of Andre. He cautiously rubbed her back. It was a bit disturbing to see the girl who could possibly be the most stubborn person he ever met, so broken. Once she could breathe again, she spoke. "I haven't seen my sister in five years, Andre. And then she just shows up out of the blue. I'm so angry. Then Tori found out about her and that was the last thing I needed her to know about me. She's been helping me in her weird Tori way that takes me forever to see. I'm just so messed up." Her rambling finally ceased. She put her face in her hands. She had only broken down like this in front of Beck and Tori. This was just an embarrassment. "Beck kissed me out of nowhere this morning." She blurted out.

"You didn't want it?" Andre inquired knowingly.

"No I didn't. He was acting weird and I don't know what his problem is, but he spoke to me like I was his property or something and just kissed me. I pushed him away and went to class. Now Tori is mad at me and I don't know why." Jade finally took a breath after spitting everything out.

"Do you want me to talk to her? You know I can get her to listen." Andre offered. He hated to see everyone at odds.

"Could you?" Jade pleaded, looking him in the eye.

"Yeah. Just tell me why, out of nowhere, you don't want Tori to be mad at you. You never cared before. You actually worked for it." Andre needed some things to be straightened out before he could help.

"You know what? Just give this to her. Please?" Jade handed over a folded up piece of paper to Andre with 'Tori' scrawled on it in Jade's cursive handwriting. The amount of pain that reflected in Jade's eyes took him by surprise. All he could do was nod and take the note. With that, Jade was out of the car, leaving a more than disappointed Andre alone.

"Just admit it Jade." He shook his head.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Get it together, Vega." The tan girl whispered to herself, splashing some water on her face. When she blurted out to Mika that she and Jade kissed, she not only outed herself, but the pale girl as well. "Oh my God. I outed Jade to her own sister...Like it matters now anyways." She sighed as she took one more handful of water. It was bothering her that Mika hadn't responded. Was she not as accepting as Tori had first thought? Just when she thought she had both West girls, they slip out her hands. Mika hated her and Jade didn't want her.

_Ring Ring Ring Ring Riiiiiiing!_

The bell sounded for the end of lunch. Time to face the music again. She couldn't stay in the bathroom forever. She dabbed her face with a paper towel, grabbed her bag and books, then headed to the door. Pushing it open, she found it lighter than usual. She looked up to see someone pulling at the same time. When the run-in ended, she found herself looking into green-blue eyes. Jade.

"Dammit." Tori mumbled as she backed away from the door, placing her hand on her hip and scowl on her face.

"Tori." Jade said a bit too harshly as she composed herself with a deep breath, not expecting to run into the brunette so easily.

"Jade, I don't wanna talk to you." Tori broke their eye contact.

"Well, I wanna talk to you!" Jade yelled. "I'm sorry." Sometimes, she didn't know how to approach stressful situations. Another deep breath. "Tori, what is wrong?" Her eyes were pleading as she caught the skinny girl's brown orbs again.

"I'm not some sort of game Jade. If you don't actually want me, then back off." Tori spat out roughly.

"Where the hell is this coming from?" Confused and a bit irritated that she had been accused of games.

"I saw you, JADE!"

"Saw me do what!"

"I saw you kiss him!" So THAT was the problem. Jade rolled her eyes.

"Tori, _he_ kissed _me_!"

"Why the hell does that matter? You and Beck still kissed!"

"I shoved him off. It meant nothing!"

"That's not what I saw!"

"So, you saw Beck kiss me and conveniently walked away right before I pushed him off? That's just perfect." Jade's attitude was getting the best of her due to the fact that Tori didn't even believe her. But the pale girl never really gave her a reason to trust her in the first place. Why would she trust her now?

"Whatever Jade. I don't wanna hear it." Tori was closed off, shut down. She had enough of the day.

"Tori, come on. I don't want him."

"You got a funny way of showing it." Tori finished with the most attitude she had ever thrown at the goth. She attempted the door. No such luck. Jade was right there blocking it.

"Okay. I get it. It looks bad, but I thought I made it perfectly clear last night that I-" Someone pushed the door open into Jade's back. "Hey!" Jade snapped. The person ran off upon hearing the scary mad girl scream.

Tori took that as her chance to sneak past Jade. Now she had an escape. She turned back to face Jade again. "Jade, just leave me alone." Tori quietly said with sadness in her voice and tears in her eyes. She turned on her heal and left the raven beauty behind.

"Tori...I want you." Jade whispered to the empty restroom. The back and forth broke both girls' hearts.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

The final bell rang for the weekend and the gang all ended up at their respected lockers. The tension was in the air and as heavy as ever. Andre just shook his head. No one was talking to anyone and he saw on Robbie's face that he felt the same way. Andre had to get this note to Tori, so he breathed in deep and walked over to her where she stood putting away books in her locker aggressively, huffing and puffing.

"Hey Tori." Andre greeted.

"What?" Tori snapped. "Sorry. I'm just a bit stressed." Tori fixed her outburst quickly.

"It's cool. Do you need a ride home?" He offered.

"You got a car?" Tori asked curiously, her demeanor changing with the presence of one of her best friends.

"Yeah. It was my birthday gift from the folks." Andre answered proudly.

"Then sure. I need some Andre time anyway." Tori replied as she closed her locker door. She glanced at Jade as she made her way out the double doors with Andre to the parking lot and scoffed.

Jade stared at the doors Tori recently walked out of. With a sigh, she grabbed her last needed book and slammed her locker closed. She needed to find a new ride since Andre was obviously out of the question, assuming he hadn't given the brown eyed girl the note she had written in Sikowitz' class for her. Perfect timing, Beck walked up.

"You're the last person I wanna see." Jade mumbled as she stalked off.

"But I'm the only one left that you know that has a car and you need a ride." Beck retorted. Jade stopped dead in her tracks, looked to the ceiling, swore under her breath, turned around and walked back to face Beck.

"Here's the deal. If you ever ambush me again, I'll deck you." Jade threatened.

"Deal." Beck agreed, ushering the pale girl to his car.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

The ride was painfully silent. Jade felt like she was going to strike Beck for the first time he surprise attacked her. He pretty much ruined any chance she had left with Tori and everything was slowly breaking at the thought of the tan girl slipping away. She leaned her head on her hand and stared out the window.

"We need to talk Jade..." Nothing. "I have a question for you."

"Why did you kiss me? I mean, what took you so long to want me back Beck?" Why now, why today?" Jade spun her head around to look at Beck while he drove.

"I don't know Jade. It just happened. I actually came to talk to you about something else and I lost control. I'm sorry about that." Beck answered as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Well, now I'm not in the mood so save it." Jade was done with the conversation as quickly as she brought it up. She turned her head back toward the window.

"I saw you fighting with Tori today. What was that all about?" Beck changed his approach, not taking his eyes off the road.

"We always do Beck." Jade was bored with the topic already. There was no way Beck would find out. He was the last person she wanted to talk to about Tori. She adjusted her seat belt, feeling even more uncomfortable at the mention of the girl running through her thoughts.

"This time was different Jade." The boy wouldn't back out of this.

"Why does it matter? Do you have something for her?" Jade inquired jealously.

"No, I-"

"I knew it. Are you gonna make a move on her now? I knew you were in love with her!" Jade's voice climbed.

"Well _one _of us in this car is..." He mumbled. Jade's eyes went wide. Fuse set.

"What. Is that. Suppose to mean Beck?" They arrived at the West residence.

"Jade, come on! How long is it gonna take for you to admit it! Just fucking admit it! Why did you think we fought all the time? The first update on your Slap page was about being single and talking about Tori!" Beck had lost it.

"I said she was annoying!" Jade was panicking at this point and Beck could tell.

"That's how _we_ started out Jade! All you ever did was complain about her! At first I thought it was you just being you, but after time went on, it got worse! You're more obvious than you think!" Beck knew he was right and the silent car ride turned out to be a screaming match of the century.

"Back off Beck!" Jade yelled and turned to open the car door. Beck locked it. He wasn't done getting his problems off his chest that he had with the goth-looking girl.

"Who is Mika?" He asked scary calm.

Jade just shook her head. Just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, it did. For the first time in her life, she was speechless.

"Let me out."

"No."

"Beck. Let me out."

"Answer me Jade."

"Please." Their eyes were glued in a fierce battle of wills. Her soul was dying inside. Her worst nightmare came true. Beck found out about Mika _and_ Tori. The two biggest secrets she ever held.

"Is she your sister?"

"Beck...It's complicated." She pleaded for him to drop it. Tears started to fall.

"Don't worry Jade. I have my answer. I guess our relationship wasn't as important to you as it was me." Beck was devastated. He couldn't take how she acted. "I bet Tori knows." His gaze now facing the windshield.

"That's a low blow Beck." Jade growled. "She has nothing to do with this." She wanted to keep the brunette out of their mess. She could feel everything in her breaking for the second time that day.

"You know, for someone you supposedly hate, she sure knows _a lot_ about you." He turned his head to look at Jade once more. Beck was seething at this point. Why stop now when he had already started?

"Leave her out of this!" Jade was on the verge of her third breakdown in as many days. It was all too much, even for her. She tried the lock again but Beck was on top of it with the controls on the driver's side.

"I don't care this time. You don't want me. You don't want my friendship. You don't want me to know that you have a fucking sister! But it's fine. Go run off to Tori. I'm sure she'll comfort you." Beck stated as he unlocked the door and turned back to face the windshield. Jade couldn't breathe, talk, or much of anything else except turn to the door, grab the handle and step out, shutting the door behind her. Beck drove away a couple seconds later after composing himself, leaving a lonely Jade to handle life on her own, again.

"Come on, Andre. You're my only hope." She needed Tori more than ever.

* * *

_**Long chapter, long fights. I love writing fights. I don't know why. But a more encouraging chapter is coming soon, promise. **_

_**There is only one more thing on your part left. Please review. I absolutely adore all my readers and I love being adored by my them. Keep showing me the love... :)**_


	12. Autographs & Apologies

_**A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you! All your reviews sent me over 100 reviews! The love that I'm feeling is great. :) Awesome peeps you all are. I know it's been a few days but chapter 12 is here now. I hope you enjoy this. It's a nice treat before the dreaded Monday! **_

_**So enjoy :)**_

_**Disclaimer: Still poor so...I guess it's still not mine. Just Mika.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 12**_

_**Autographs & Apologies**_

"_Got any 9s?" _

"_Go Fish!"_

_The two West sisters sat cross-legged on the floor around the coffee table in the family room, playing the card game. Everything seemed calm in the house. Mom was in the kitchen actually making dinner, which made Mika a little suspicious. 'Dad must have a colleague coming over for dinner.' The 15 year-old thought to herself. _

"_Mikey? MIKEY!" Jade tapped her sister to get her attention._

"_Huh? Yeah?" Mika was lost in her own head._

"_Go. Fish." Jade replied annoyingly._

"_Yeah. Sorry." Mika picked a single card from the pile and looked at it. "HA! Got what I wanted." She said as she stuck her tongue out at Jade. _

"_Whatever. You're turn. Again." Ten year-old Jade mumbled as she rolled her eyes._

"_Mika, go help your mother in the kitchen so she can take care of Jasper." Mr. West came in and ordered his eldest daughter without so much as a hello. _

"_Why can't you..." She was cut off by a stern look as she lifted her gaze to meet her father's. "Yes Sir." She answered as she stood up and made her way to the kitchen, before being stopped by a firm hand around her bicep._

"_Don't you dare speak to me that way again. Got it?" Mr. West commanded slowly and with a hushed but firm voice. But Jade heard him from where she remained on the floor, looking up, curious how Mika would react. Mika ripped her arm out of his grasp with a snarl in her lip, not even giving her father an answer and continued to the kitchen. "Jade, go wash up for dinner. And clean up this mess." He pointed to the cards scattered over the coffee table, then stalked off to the den._

_With a sigh, Jade got up and walked toward the bathroom to wash her hands. She turned the faucet on and pumped soap into her small, delicate hand. After washing the soap off, she dried them on the towel and walked back into the living room but ended up walking into a shit storm._

"_Jade! What did I tell you about those damn cards!" He yelled and marched over to the frightened girl. He took a hold of her arm and dragged her to the 'mess.' Mika saw the whole thing from the kitchen and bolted to the altercation, seeing red. _

"_Get off of her!" Mika ordered her own father. She grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. He was at least a foot taller than her but she wasn't afraid. He let go of Jade. If Mika was a second late, the man would have hit his youngest daughter. Instead, he came around with his hand, and struck his oldest clear in the cheek and jaw. Mika yelped at the contact. All was silent minus Jasper's crying in the kitchen._

_Mika moved quickly to grab Jade. To protect her baby sister, the older West sister placed Jade behind her. Mika looked up at her father, seething. She refused to touch her face where he had struck her. Too much pride for her own good. She shook her head and headed for the front door with Jade in tow._

"_Please get your coat, Jade. We are getting out of here." Mika told Jade. The younger West did what she was told. Out the door they went, their father saying nothing. _

"_Where are we going Mikey?" Jade asked with a shaky voice._

"_I'll call Evan. You like him." Mika answered, not bothering to look down as they walked down the steps of the porch. _

"_Mikey?" Jade said with tears in her eyes. They got to the end of the driveway before Mika gave her attention back to address Jade's tone. She leaned down to be able to look at her sister in the eye. _

"_Listen to me. No one will ever, ever, put their hands on you, no matter what. I will always protect you from people like him. You understand?" Mika searched Jade's green-blue eyes with her own hazel-greens. Jade nodded while crying over what she had just witnessed. _

_Mika took Jade in her arms and squeezed, not caring if the girl could breath or not. She needed Jade to know that no one would hurt her as long as she was around to save her. _

"_I love you, Mikey." Jade mumbled into her sister's shoulder._

"_I love you, Jade." Mika retorted stroking Jade's brown wavy locks as they continued to hug. _

_. . . . . . . . . . . . ._

Jade sat in her Camaro outside of the Vega residence, biting her nails. She had her secret extra car key in her bag just in case she needed to take it and disobey her parents, which really wasn't a problem to her. She was surprised they even remembered that she was being punished in the first place.

She had told Andre to text her when he got close to dropping off Tori and given her the note. That was 20 minutes ago. Now, she was racking her brain for what she was gonna say if Tori actually read the note and let her in the house. All she did know, she was determined to win Tori's heart back. She couldn't deny that. She was tired of denial.

There were so many things she had to worry about. She still couldn't find the heart to speak to her sister. That was a whole other story. It wasn't the most important thing right now. Tori was. But the more time went on, the more memories flooded back to her conscious. She realized Mika did a lot for her over the years...before she left. Something had to give though. Tori nagged her about hearing the older girl out, but even Tori couldn't convince her. It had to done on Jade's time.

Throwing her out of her thoughts was movement coming from the bush near the Vega's front door catching her eye. Jade squinted to see better, deciding to get out of her car and investigate. Even if Tori wouldn't give her a chance to explain, she wouldn't let someone hurt the brunette. She would protect Tori like Mika protected Jade when she was a kid.

Jade shut her car door quietly and tip-toed toward the sounds of crunching. It was only late afternoon so it shouldn't be that difficult to spot the nuisance. As she reached the walkway, Jade looked closely to catch a head of blonde moss-like hair. Instantly, she realized who the intruder was and her suspicious look in her face turned into one of disgust. Tall, scrawny frame, mop hair. It had to be...

"Sinjin? What are you doing?" Jade inquired a bit freaked out. She knew he had snuck into her own house once, but this was Tori's house he was creeping around and that would not be tolerated.

"Uh, hi Jade." Sinjin answered with a nervous laugh. "I'm... just taking a walk?" Jade was in no mood for small talk. She rolled her eyes and grabbed the taller boy by the collar.

"I'll give you to the count of five." She let go of his shirt and crossed her arms defensively. "1...2...3...4." Sinjin didn't wait for five. He bolted down the walkway, grabbed his helmet and bike, then sped off. "Serious creep."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

_Same Time_

Tori lay on her bed, head on the pillow, feet crossed, contemplating whether she wanted to read the note in her hands. When Andre handed it to her, she thought it might have been from him, but then she glanced at her name on the folded portion. It was written in Jade's cursive handwriting. It had been 10 minutes of just staring at the thin, white, paper. No lines, just pure white, like drawing paper.

She sighed as she looked over to her phone. Nothing there to distract her from reading this. The clock on her wall ticked slowly. The only thing that could be heard in the silent room. Tori rubbed her forehead and shut her auburn eyes, falling into light thought. On one hand, she could throw it away and just stay enemies with the raven-hair girl, forget her feelings and move on. But on the other hand, she could read it and try to stop being so stubborn, hear the girl out. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to believe Jade but how could she after their history of the combat boot-wearing girl sabotaging almost everything Tori had done. From the 'prome', to her role in the Steamboat Suzy play, Jade definitely screwed the brunette over.

But the urge to unfold the note was too much for the Vega girl. Her feelings for Jade were eating at her to read it. She bit her bottom lip as one last thought crossed her mind. 'I have to.' Slowly, she pulled the first fold, then the second, and finally the last. She started to read cautiously. She furrowed her brows as she realized what was written. A poem. A simple poem.

_My lips are rough without your smooth ones_

_They are burnt everyday by the blistering sun_

_By my side lies a half empty bed_

_I kick myself for the things I haven't said_

_The ache in my heart creates a growing hole_

_Your stare etched into my mind and soul_

_The more I think of you, the more power you have_

_Paralyzed by your scent, making me feel sad_

_When I close my eyes everything is the same _

_Even though the world separates us, I will still call your name _

Tori blinked. And blinked. And blinked. What was she to think of Jade's words. The reread trying to find the answer to that very question. Her heart sank as she realized what this poem meant. She could trust that Jade meant it when she let Tori in on her past the night before, holding her hand, kissing her. It was everything to Jade. She didn't that stuff with just _anyone. _It all came back with a warm feeling of desire and need for the pale girl. Tori reached for her phone and quickly texted Jade.

**Come over.** It definitely wasn't a question. If she was in control of how this whole thing went down, she would keep it that way. Strangely, not a second later, the bell rang. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she made her way down the stairs to answer the door bell. She pulled open the red door and gasped. Jade. 'That was quick...'

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mika played with the coin with her fingers, contemplating everything that went down since she arrived back in LA. The concentration technique involving the coin usually worked, but this time around, nothing worked. She realized, while sitting on the balcony of her apartment, that she couldn't use elaborate plans anymore. This needed to be done straight up if she wanted to say her peace about everything. So deep in thought, Mika failed to hear the sliding door open and close.

"Hey stranger." Mika spun around at the sudden voice behind her and threw out her fist quicker than the victim could react. The punch connected with a jaw and the following yelp in pain was heard. "Jesus, Mika! Turn around first before deciding whether I'm worth punching." An newly angered Evan spat.

"Sorry Ev." Mika winced in response to her overreaction. She took his face in her hands to investigate the area in pain. "Instincts."

"On edge, I see." Evan inquired. "I'm okay." He took a seat next to Mika, stretching out his overly long legs and continued to rub the side of his face. "I'm guessing not everything is going according to plan."

"Nothing has gone right since I came back. Maybe it was a mistake." Mika added, slumping more into her chair.

"Is there more to this than I know?" Evan asked suspiciously.

"I think-I think Jade..." Evan waved for her to spit out. "I think Jade might be into girls." Mika pulled the words out of her mouth.

"Hmmm. And how do you feel about that?" Evan nudged.

"I honestly don't know. What am I supposed to think..."

* * *

_**I wrote my A/N with one hand because I hurt my elbow somehow. Strange thing. But now for you to review. Review Review Review! Please? It's so much fun reading the reviews. They always brighten my day. Thank you in advance to all my loyal readers. **_

_**Love you all... :)**_


	13. My Temperature's Rising

_**A/N: So once again, thank you for all the reviews and love. I love it. :) **__**I get excited when my favorite stories are updated, so I hope you guys are as excited about mine being updated. **_

_**Onwards!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 13**_

_**My Temperature's Rising**_

_The passenger door shut with a slam as Jade settled into the seat with a huff. Her gaze was pointed toward the window, lost in the scenery outside. The school day ended and Mika was right where she parked everyday while she waited for the fiery little sister of hers. The older girl reached for the volume nob on the radio, risking life and limb by asking Jade what the problem was. But, she wasn't afraid, knowing exactly how to approach the girl that grew more impatient by the second._

"_Hey there." Not even a mutter or any kind of movement. "How was school?" This happened at least once a week. The 'hey', a couple unanswered questions. Then Mika would go in for the kill: Jade's weakness. "Let's go get some ice cream." Some of the visible tension in Jade's shoulders melted with Mika's last comment. The engine roared to life and Mika put the Jeep in drive and headed in the direction of Freezy Queen. _

_Ten minutes later and ice cream in her hands, Jade finally decided that she was ready to complain to Mika. "He was so annoying. All he did was bug me the whole time." Jade ranted on._

"_So let me get this all straight, You hold the county science fair at your school and a boy from another school was talking to you?" Mika continued after Jade nodded. "Well, what was he saying?"_

"_That he thought my project was cool. Of course it is. I'm the one that did it." _

"_So humble. Why was that a problem Jade?"_

"_He just got on my nerves. What kind of name is Beck anyway?"_

"_Jade, you gotta be more tolerant of people. You can't let your temper get the best of you."_

"_I just don't like boys. They're annoying."_

"Andre's a boy and he's your friend."

"_He's different." Mika scratched her head at the twelve year-old's logic. She wondered if she herself was this confusing and irrational at Jade's age. _

"_Okay. At least you won't have to see him again, right?" Mika replied trying to put a good spin on this._

"_The science fair goes on until tomorrow. He'll be back" Jade grumbled her own reply. "Why can't I just have one group of friends my whole life?" _

"_Because you have to meet new people, JJ. It's life." Mika finished up her vanilla cone and tossed her napkin in the trash bin. _

"_I hate meeting new people." Jade pouted while stirring her ice cream with her spoon and finally eating some. _

"_I have a proposition for you. If you be nice to this Beck kid tomorrow, I'll give you your birthday present early. Deal?" Mika offered up her right hand to make the deal official. Jade looked at her hand, then up to Mika's face who sat expectantly. _

"_Deal." Jade shook her sister's hand and for the first time that day, smiled. "You're gonna be there tomorrow to see my project win, right?" Jade asked with her hopeful green-blue eyes. _

"_I wouldn't miss it for the world, JJ." Mika retorted with a brilliant and charming smile while opening the Freezy Queen for Jade. _

"_Good. Oh and Mikey don't forget that I'm going home with Cat on friday for our sleepover so you don't have to pick me up." Jade added, bouncing to the Jeep with Mika in tow. _

"_Got it." Mika smirked at the new spring in Jade's step. She was always a sucker for ice cream. _

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . _

"What? Were you expecting someone else?" Jade stood with her hand on her hip, patiently (Surprisingly) waiting for Tori to speak. Obvious nerves were visible but she still tried miserably to hide it.

"So, you thought that I would just swoon over your poem, forgive you on the spot and ask you over that you were already here prior to me even reading the note?" Tori countered with her arms crossed and toe tapping. It was what Jade usually did but the tables were turned this time. Tori could hold her own.

"Nooo. I knew." Jade answered with a sheepish smirk crossing her rosy lips. "So, does you not slamming the door in my face mean you forgive me?" She asked in a hopeful voice, which matched her big, deep sea blue eyes.

"You are gonna have to explain yourself first." Tori was not budging. She stood firm in place, not even allowing the pale girl into the house, eyes narrowed.

"Tori..." Jade blanked as she looked deep into the brunettes brown eyes. She took a much needed, deep sigh and dropped her arm. No more games "I'm so sorry." After, Jade lowered her head to gaze at her black boots. "I swear, I didn't want it. He surprised me and I pushed him away as soon as I realized what was happening. Please believe me Tori. I don't have anything left. You're the only person I can count on." Jade lifted her head with the last sentence, real tears threatening to spill over. "I haven't cried this much in years."

That's all it took as Tori's heart melted and she took the broken girl in front of her into her arms. Walking the broken girl into the living room, she sat them both down on the bright red couch, letting Jade lay down. The dark girl placed her head in the Latina's lap. She stroked Jade's raven locks with her hand, cooing her into a lull. Jade curled up into a ball on her couch, thinking how good it felt to have the tan girl's fingers running through her hair. Tori thought about how much pain she could feel radiating off the girl and realized that she wanted to take it all away. The silence in the room created a calm and ease to the atmosphere that brought relief to both girls. All the drama, fighting, took a tumultuous toll.

"I remember when I was upset, Mika would sing to me. It worked every time." Jade reminisced on a subject no one knew much about. It was a big sign that Jade really did care deeply for the tan girl who was began playing with her green hair extensions.

"Did that happen a lot?" Tori asked in a soothing voice She continued to brush the hair that belonged to the head in her lap. Maybe she could get Jade to talk about her feelings, past, family. Hopefully.

"Yeah..." Jade squeezed her eyes at the thought. "My parents would fight constantly, especially at night. I would sneak into Mika's room and cuddle up with her. She would sometimes pretend to be asleep so I wouldn't suspect that she was gonna turn around fast and start tickling me. Then, she would sing me to sleep." Jade explained in a distant voice, like she was living it all over again. She was completely vulnerable.

"It was that bad?" Tori inquired with pain in her voice. She couldn't imagine a little Jade so sad, lonely. Now usually, Tori would have expected a snide remark from the stubborn girl. But this girl that was laying her Tori's lap was someone different, someone kind, small, defenseless.

"My parents would fight about me mainly. My anger issues, outbursts, disobedience. It was only because everything I did wasn't up to my dad's standards. Nothing. I remember this one time, I knocked over my milk and he went off on me. Completely off the rails. Mika walked in right after, looked at me and knew he was to blame for my crying. I was five." Once Jade started on her shitty childhood, she couldn't stop.

"She really took care of you." Tori assumed. Every word hurt her more than the last.

"Mhmm. She _did _take care of me. Taught me how to read, ride a bike, count, play guitar, piano, hell even throw any and every type of ball she could find. I wasn't even into sports. She would even make breakfast for me every morning. When she left, my dad tried to make me breakfast once. I got sick." Jade started to tear up again as the twinge of pain hit her heart.

"Jade, honey. How about you give her a chance to just talk to you." Tori suggested carefully. After Tori remembered that she had mentioned her kiss with Jade to Mika and seeing the older West's silent reaction to it in her head, Tori cringed at her suggestion.

"I can't. It hurts too much." Jade said as she sat up to face Tori and wiped her eyes dry vigorously. "I'm angry Tori. You have no idea what it's like to be abandoned, to think that no one loves you or cares. Not even Mika wanted to stick around."

Tori took her hand. "I know that I can't even begin to imagine what pain you have gone through Jade, but I want to help you heal. Will you let me?" Tori just needed Jade to let her in. The pale girl thought about it for a few seconds before nodding her response. She closed her eyes and laid back down.

"Fine. Under one condition." Jade always had a catch.

"And what would that be?" Tori asked confused.

"Keep playing with my hair?" Jade looked up at the brown eyed girl, bottom lip pushed down in a pout. She couldn't get enough of Tori digging into her locks and massaging her head. It calmed her. Tori simply continued upon the request and smiled. The calm and quiet settled on the Vega house as a comfortable silence fell on the two girls.

"I meant what I said." Jade broke it as she kept her eyes shut.

"Meant what?"

"The poem."

"It took my breathe away."

"I meant every word of that poem." Jade said firmly as she rose again from her laying position to a sitting one to look at Tori right in the eye as she let her words flow past her lips. "I care about you. So much and I don't know why. It's always been there in some form. But...why you Tori? I don't get it. I just don't get it. Not the whole girl thing. But I mean of all people, why you? Why is it that I want to tell _you_ every secret I have ever kept? Why do I wanna tell you everything that has ever happened in my life? I want you to see every scar, on my body, on my heart. I ache for just the slightest touch from you. I don't even know where the words to that poem came from. It broke my heart to see the pain on your face." Jade broke their eye contact, not baring to see the flash of pain in Tori's eyes as she spoke the next words. Her rambling was getting worse. "But why now? I would have paid to see you hurting before. Maybe that was just my defense mechanism to my feelings..." She looked back at the tan girl. "I'm sorry Tori. I never cared if I was a bitch to anyone, especially you. But now, _I_ can't even stand myself." Jade was defeated, broken, dismantled. Done. The anger was exhausting.

No more words were needed. Tori took this moment to tuck a stray strand of perfect raven hair behind Jade's ear, linger at her cheek, and finally bring their lips together as they shared the most emotionally deep filled kiss the two had ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Jade melted into Tori's strawberry scented Chap Stick. She responded with her hand finding it's way to Tori's waist as the kiss deepened even further.

Jade took the initiative and leaned Tori against the arm rest of the couch as their lips seemed to morph into each other. She nipped on Tori's bottom lip which made the girl underneath Jade to lightly moan subconsciously. Then, the pale girl abruptly pulled back, just enough to search the brunette's eyes for something. She place her forehead on Tori's while still holding her gaze. "I need you. I've never said that to anyone. Please...forgive me."

"I already forgave you when you rang the door bell." Tori smirked and pulled Jade down to her by the back of her neck for another breath taking kiss. She wrapped her arms around Jade's head just as the pale girl's phone started ringing. She growled not wanting to get it so it went ignored. Not two seconds after it stopped it's horrible sound, her phone started up again. She growled even louder, which Tori kinda liked. Jade dismounted off Tori and answered it.

"This better be important." She hissed into the unknown intruder of her first make out session with the brunette.

"Oh, it is very important Jade. Where are you and why is your car missing?" Mommy dearest retorted with just as much venom. Jade sigh heavily as she stood up and walked out to the patio, giving Tori a look of desperation and mouthed I'm sorry.

As the patio door closed, Tori fell into a nice daydream. She stayed lounging on the couch, remembering the moments that just happened to her. It was like nothing else existed except for Jade's lips, and hands, and...Well, Jade in general. Cloud nine was all she could come up with. Once again, the door bell sounded indicating another visitor.

"Who could that be?" Tori asked the air as she got up and headed toward front door to answer it. "Mika?" Tori whispered in pour dread.

"Hi Tori."

* * *

**_Oh, it's on now! All these cliff hangers! Damn me! Sorry. So now its that time again. Review please! Thank you in advance... :) Oh and I get to go to Disney this weekend with the gf. Go me. I'm excited and I'll update again soon :)_**


	14. Versus the Mirror

_**A/N: I know. It's been more than a few days. I had a long and busy weekend at Disney World. I had fun, thank you far asking. It's finally hear. The chapter that opens this whole thing up. I hope you enjoy it. **_

_**And, thank you so much for all the great reviews from all you loyal readers. I love reading them all. **_

_**So read on...**_

* * *

_**Chapter 14 **_

_**Versus the Mirror**_

"Hi Tori."

"Mika, how did you get my address?" Tori asked in horror. She didn't want to face the older West because the last they left it, Mika was more than shocked about Tori and Jade kissing.

"Andre." Mika answered simply. Her hands dug in her back pockets as she rocked on the balls of her feet, a nervous habit she couldn't quite break.

"How do you know him, anyway?" Tori asked curiously, arms crossed, face still stone cold.

"A childhood friend of Jade's. Cat too." Tori just nodded in response. Duh. "Can we talk about, you know, earlier?" Mika asked quietly and gulped.

"Um, your sist-"

"What. Are you doing here?" Jade asked incredulously.

"I'm here to talk to Tori." Mika's eyebrow shot up at Jade's sudden presence. As much as she tried to hold down her attitude, it was impossible now. She had it with the pity party for Jade, tired of her sister being mad at her for the wrong reasons. Patience was running very thin.

"No." Jade commanded sternly as she stood beside the couch, arms crossed, while the other two occupants were still near the front door.

"And tell me why I need your permission to speak to your little girlfriend here, Jade." Mika mirrored Jade's stance just as she did in clothing, the only difference being Mika's off the shoulder white tee that clashed with Jade's leather covered shoulders. Everything else for both, black.

"Little girlfriend? What are you talking about?" Jade asked confused. Light bulb. "You told her!" Jade turned to Tori with the question.

"It slipped! I was angry with you kissing Beck and...I was hurt." Tori panicked.

"So you went to my sister for help?" Jade uncrossed her arms as she went up to Tori. Mika moved further into the house, determined to get this all settled now, once and for all.

"Jade, she was upset. It's not a big deal." Mika interrupted.

"You stay out of this Mika!"

"Hey! If it wasn't for me, you two would never have gotten together in the first place and still be dancing around each other like it was a fucking square dance."

"What? Don't take credit for this! That doesn't even make any sense!"

"Your animosity towards me let you drop your walls so Tori could come rescue you and boom! You two finally figure it out!"

"How do you know? It's not like you've been around, ever!"

"Oh please. Anyone with two eyes and a brain can see the loads of sexual tension between you two! Plus, Cat and Andre like to talk."

"Guys! Stop! I'm tired of this. You're sisters. No matter how long you two haven't spoken to each other, you're still sisters." Tori was fuming, as she moved in between the fighting girls. She was tired of seeing the pain in both their eyes and listening to the fighting.

"She's the one that left." Jade seethed. Her teeth were grinding at this point. She was done. The door was permanently closed at this point. Mika wasn't her sister anymore as far as she was concerned. "I'm out." Jade threw up her hands. She took a step toward the door.

"Come on Jade. Please don't walk away." Mika pleaded. All her anger dissipated as desperation took over.

"Why should I stay Mika? You didn't!" Jade yelled back as she attempted to storm away.

"I didn't choose to! Please! Why would I ever _want _to leave you behind?" With Mika's honest words, Jade stopped dead in her tracks and took a deep, labored breath.

Tori stepped in front of the raven-haired girl, taking her by the shoulders. "I'm not letting you run away, Jade. Not this time. You gotta give her a chance."

"Stay out of this Vega!" Jade couldn't take it.

"NO! She's your sister Jade! She loves you." Tori knew that if she stood her ground with Jade, she would have no choice but to listen. "Just hear her out. Do it for yourself. Do it for me." Tori looked deep into Jade's sea green eyes, hoping the pale girl could see the compassion in Tori's brown ones. She didn't care whether Mika was against her 'thing' with Jade or not, she had to stand up for the older girl.

It worked. With those words, Jade melted. Tori always had that effect on her. As much as she hated to admit, this was killing her. She actually needed to know what her big sister had to say. "Fine. But on my own terms." She said to Tori. She marched right up to Mika. Jade aimed to be calm but the question came out in a sob, like she was twelve again. "Why did you leave me? You were the only person I had!"

It was the moment Mika was waiting for. The question she knew she had coming. It still spilt her heart in two. It took her a few seconds to realize that Jade asked her the question that haunted both girls for a while now. "Because!..Because, they _kicked_ me out." It came out more defeated and shameful than anything. Keeping this in really did take a toll on the musician. She waited five years to get it off her chest.

"What? Why would they do that? They said you just bolted." Jade was not expecting that answer. She took Tori's hand by instinct. She needed the tan girl's comfort. She felt safe.

"Mom and Dad lied to you, Jade." Mika stated.

"Then why Mika? Why did they kick you out?" Jade was more confused than ever and losing the little patience she had.

"Because-" The sentence caught in her throat. The world felt like it was about to crumble. At least her world. "Because _I'm_ gay..." Mika answered with a humorless chuckle.

"Wha..." Jade's head was reeling.

"They kicked me out because they found out I was gay. That's why I reacted the way I did to you being with Tori." The pain was written all over Mika's face as she got back to the point. She was close to tears. If Tori knew anything, it was that the West girls did not cry easily, but this week was like Niagara Falls.

"But...what about Evan? I thought-" Jade mumbled still baffled. Tori put her free hand on Jade's shoulder for more support. She was feeling for both girls as the truth trickled out little by little.

"Evan? I've known him since I was 12. He's like a brother." Mika answered as best she could without breaking down.

"Oh...Mika, what happened with Mom and Dad?" Jade asked cautiously.

"Remember my best friend Erin?" Jade nodded. "Well, she was my first girlfriend. We were in my room and long story short, Mom caught us kissing. I was terrified when she called for Dad and told him what happened. He marched into my room, grabbed me by my hair, dragged me down the stairs and threw me out the door. The man literally threw me out the door, Jade!" By now, all three girls had tears running down their faces. Jade clutching onto Tori's arm for support. She could hardly stand hearing this information. Mika continued through her own angry filled tears. "Dad said the only reason he let Erin leave on her own was because she wasn't his daughter and that he had no right to put his hands on her. Imagine that. That's the only thing I was grateful for. Well, that and the fact that you weren't there to witness the whole thing. You were at Cat's for a sleepover." Defeated, Mika took a few moments to compose herself.

"Oh my God..." Tori and Jade whispered simultaneously.

"He let me come back for one reason; to pack as much of my stuff as I could. Then he made me an offer I legally couldn't refuse, Jade." Mika took a deep breath. "He said he would still pay for my expenses in exchange that I would stay away from you." Mika put her head down in shame. Jade's face turned from sympathy to rage with that last part.

"You gave me up for money? A Bribe?" Fuming, Jade walked up to Mika, lifted the older girl's chin up and looked her straight in the eye, but Mika closed hers. "Look at me. Look at me, Mika!" Mika's green orbs flickered open. "Answer me." Jade commanded. Surprisingly, all the anger drained from her calm, but shaky, voice.

"It wasn't that simple. He threatened that he would slap me with a restraining order if I went anywhere near you. He would have had me thrown in jail and then I wouldn't have been able to see you anyway." Mika pleaded. She prayed that Jade understood the situation Mika was put into by their father. "Please, Jade. It wasn't about the money." Jade let go of Mika's chin and backed away, running both hands through her own hair. "I didn't even take it. I mean I did to shut him up, but I saved it. I paid for the rest of my Hollywood Arts tuition, then the rest was yours. I was gonna give it to you for college or whatever. I still am."

Jade was stunned and speechless for the first time in her life. No sarcasm, no quick comebacks, nothing. It was like she was trapped in a room and all four walls were closing in on her. Her chest was tight from her heart breaking. She was squeezing the life out of Tori's hand. Jade felt the gut wrenching pain Mika must have gone through years ago. She knew what being abandoned was like, but literally being rejected and thrown out of their family was difficult to fathom. Before she knew it, her legs started moving. Her hand slipped from Tori's. She began running out the door and into the front yard of the Vega house. It was all too much. She kept running. She ran so fast, she almost missed Tori calling her name after her. She just ignored it. She had to. Had to get away.

"Jade!" Tori yelled, while finally moving from the spot she was glued to in her living room.

"Let her go. She needs to process this." Mika breathed out with her head hung low as she sat on the arm rest of the red couch, head in hands, tears falling freely and silently.

* * *

_**There you go. liked it? Hope so. I'll update as soon as I can. Promise. I do owe you for all the reviews you will write ;) So thank you in advance of course. So please, leave lots of reviews. Also, I will write more flashbacks for all that like those, and I hope that includes all of you... :)**_

_**Happy Tuesday Evening.**_


	15. Let the Flames Begin

**_A/N: First off, thank you for all the reviews as per the norm. :))) Second, I'm glad most were surprised and enjoyed the last chapter. :) Third, I'm sorry this update is late (by my standards, it's really only been a week. lol) I had Another long weekend._**

**_So I have questions to answer as well. Kikouma: I love puppies. It's babies that I hate. And I do read Jori: The Medley and no, just a coincidence. And sorry it took forever for me to answer. Please don't kill me. Otherwise, no one will get the rest of the story. lol  
_**

**_Enough of me..._**

**_Disclaimer: It's painfully obvious by now, none of us here own Victorious. _**

* * *

_**Chapter 15**_

_**Let the Flames Begin**_

"_And first place for the 7th Grade County Science Fair is..." _

"_Where are they?" Mika mumbled to herself as she searched the crowd for her parents. Deep down, she knew they would probably never show up for Jade's, funeral, much less her Science Fair. Jade knew it too. She stood by her project in the gymnasium as the principal of her school read the winner for her age bracket on the small stage up front. _

_As she chewed her bottom lip, Jade stood impatiently, still waiting for the winner to be read. At twelve, Jade was slowly realizing that she had the most absentminded parents of any kid she knew. They said they would come, but probably forgot about it entirely. The one person who kept her promise was Mika. It was always Mika. She couldn't remember a time where Mika let her down. She could see her sister from where she stood and caught Mika's brilliant smile that always put the younger girl at ease. Looking at her hero, she forgot all about the science fair, until..._

"_Jade West for 'The Effects of Healthy Food on Academic Performance.'" _

_Before the applause came, a loud roar of triumph came from the crowd. Jade knew it could only be one person. Mika looked around, rubbing the back of her neck, looked at Jade, shrugging her shoulders and giving her sister a sheepish grin while beginning her own applause._

_Jade made her way to the stage, climbed the stairs, and accepted her award. Her smile grew when she locked eyes with Mika as the older West made her own way to the stage in order to be the first person to congratulate her little rugrat. _

_As Jade approached the edge of the stage, Mika grabbed her and threw her over her shoulder, doing a victory dance with Jade squealing. Putting her down, Mika spoke. "I'm so proud of you." She saw the joy but also something else she was all too familiar with seeing in the green-blue eyes. She leaned down the short distance. "They didn't make it. But I'm here." She whispered in Jade's ear. The younger pale girl just nodded and pushed the pang of hurt aside. Mika was here and that's all she needed. _

"_Congratulations Jade." Beck said, walking up to the sisters. Mika nudged the younger girl to say something back to the kid she remembered Jade talking about yesterday. Well, she figured it was him. Knowing all of Jade's friends, she didn't recognize this one. She was silently reminding Jade of their deal they made. _

"_Um, thanks Beck." Jade replied politely. Looking up, she decided to go a bit further with the whole nice thing. "This is Mika." _

"_'Sup, kid." Mika greeted with a wave. _

"_Nice to meet you. I'm Beck." Visibly intimidated by Mika, Beck took a small step back, turning his attention to Jade. "So, Jade maybe we can hang out sometime, go to the park. My mom could bring us." For a twelve year-old, Beck was pretty smooth, Mika thought, smirking._

"_Yeah, maybe." Jade answered back flatly. Mika chuckled knowing the girl wasn't quite used to boys' attention yet. She thanked God for that, noting some girls in this school were already begging for boys' attention when Jade was pushing it away. _

"_Okay. See you around." _

"_Okay, bye." Jade retorted, already walking away from the poor boy. Before Mika could leave, Beck stopped her. _

"_Can you give her my phone number?" Beck asked, handing her a piece of paper with numbers scribbled on it with his name._

"_Uh, you sure?" Mika asked. Beck nodded. "Okay, kid. I will. See you later." Mika took the paper. _

"_Mika!" Jade yelled back, whining out the name. _

"_Coming!" She winked at Beck and made her way to Jade. She caught up to her sister and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. _

"_That was awkward. Boys are so weird."_

_"I think he likes you."_

"_What? Ew! No. Boys are gross." _

"_Mhmm...He likes you."_

"_Stop, please."_

"_Okay! Okay." _

"_I wonder what happened with Mom and Dad..." Jade muttered, thinking back to the last time they supported her in anything...She couldn't find it._

"_Well, it's nothing new. That's for sure." Mika's bitterness slipped a bit but Jade didn't notice._

_"Yeah, I know...Didn't you have school?" Jade asked, looking up at Mika._

_"Yeah. I skipped. I figured I promised you I would be here and I never break my promises, especially to the little rugrats names JJ." Mika said with a chuckle. Things would never change with their parents and they both knew that. But it didn't matter. The pain still lingered. The way it would go away is to ignore it until you go numb._

"_By the way, when do I get my present? Now?" Jade inquired feeling she fulfilled her end of the deal. _

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . _

"Jade, please call me when you get this. I'm really worried." Tori left what felt like the hundredth voicemail to Jade. It was going on an hour since the West sisters hashed out why Mika really left. Tori still hadn't rapped her head around it and this wasn't even her family. She couldn't imagine what the pale girl was going through, and alone.

"It's no use, Tori. She won't answer." Mika mumbled as she laid down on the couch, arm over her eyes.

"I have to at least try." Tori huffed. She had no idea where the young raven haired girl ran off to, but worry was covering Tori's tired face.

"She's stubborn and hard headed-"

"And what are you Mika? Easy going? She's a mess right now. She's been a mess ever since you got here. Why did it take this long for you to come back for her?" Tori got no answer. Typical West. "Dammit Mika, answer me!"

"I was scared! Okay? And stubborn and stupid! This is the tenth time I came back. The tenth try. I finally got the courage to make my presence known." Mika answered, sitting up, deflated. She didn't know Tori for long but she never expected her to talk to anyone like that.

"You've been around and tried that many times?..." Tori's heart sank.

"The first few tries, I thought my dad would catch me, call the police. But after awhile, I stopped being scared of him. Problem was that I began to get scared of how Jade would react to me coming back. I've tried, just been too much of a coward to do it. As for you and Jade, I only reacted that way because I was concerned for what our parents would do." Mika confessed to Tori.

"Mika, you need to tell Jade all this. We can't just sit here, letting her destroy property or worse, herself." Tori was getting more afraid of what Jade would do if they didn't find her soon.

"I know where she is." Mika said with her eyes plastered to her boots.

"You do? Well, why didn't you tell me earlier!" Tori exasperated, emphasizing her point with her arms as they wailed all around.

"First of all, bring it down a bit. Second, I wanted to give Jade the time and space she needed. She ran out for a reason, Tori." Mika explained as she got up, grabbed her car keys and black jacket from the couch.

"Oh." Tori took a second to think that through. "You know Mika, I don't know how close you were with Jade when you were around, but I can tell you were a great sister." Tori expressed as she looked into Mika's deep green eyes.

"Thanks, and I promise, I'll get back to being that sister, if she let's me. Now, come on. I'll drive." Mika replied as she patted Tori on the shoulder and made her way to the door. Tori followed suit. The two made it to Mika's Jeep in seconds, thinking the same thing. Find the most important girl in both their lives.

Tori jumped in and before she could close the door, her eyes landed on a photo that Mika had stuck next to the speedometer in front of the driver. The dome light from the doors still being open shined on it perfectly. Tori's breath caught in her throat. She had never seen little Jade before. She was sitting on the shoulders of an older girl, Tori guessing the obvious that it was Mika. Next to it was another picture of an older Jade at the playground sitting at the top of the slide, in thought, alone.

"I took that when I came back the last time. I couldn't find the courage to go talk to her then. Must have been just under a year ago." Mika piped up, startling Tori out of her own thoughts. She was unaware Mika took the driver's seat.

"She looks so sad..." Was all Tori could muster.

"It was around the anniversary of when I left." Mika confirmed in a damaged voice. She hated herself for waiting this long.

"You two are cute in the other one." Tori's attempt at changing the subject worked.

"Yeah. She was my little rugrat..." Mika shook her head from the past, shut her door and started the car. "Lets go get our girl." Mika added with a shaky tone.

"Wait. I have an idea. But we need to make a pit stop before we go where Jade is."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

The jeep could be heard in the back ground, out of sight, with its two occupants inside, waiting desperately for Jade to come to her senses. The playground was scary quiet, all except for an aluminum hitting plastic as Andre made his way to where the angry pale girl was attempting to demolish a slide with a baseball bat. He took a deep breath before he spoke.

"Jade, what are doing? Trying to fight off the slide? What did it ever do to you?" Andre asked cautiously and humorously with his hands stashed inside his denim pockets.

"What are you doing here, Andre?" Jade asked as she continued her assault on the yellow plastic and trying to destroy memories at the same time.

"Needed some fresh air. You?" Andre asked casually while sitting on one of the nearby swings.

"I'm invading Canada. What the hell does it look like I'm doing?" Jade answered with stone cold look in her eyes, continuing her mission of destruction. Her swings got more violent and swift the more she went on. Andre decided enough was enough.

"Okay, maybe you should put the bat down for a bit." Andre said getting up and tried to vocally get Jade to calm down. She came around with the bat at Andre when he touched her shoulder. "That's it woman. Give. Me. The. Bat." Andre commanded as he ripped the bat from Jade's pale and sweaty hands.

"What do you want!" Jade screamed as she threw her arms up in the night sky and stomped her feet.

"Just to talk. One on one. No one else Jade. No pressure. Just me and you. Like old times." Andre explained. 'Before you got scary,' adding the thought in his head. "What's going on in that head of yours?" They stood there in silence for about a minute, Andre looking intently at Jade. Jade staring at the stars. He patiently waited.

"I can't do this Andre." Jade finally spoke, her voice so small.

"Do what, Jade?" Andre asked gently.

"This. I can't be who I wanna be. Who I wanna be with. But I'm not this person everyone sees me as. This monster. I have a heart. It's just...buried."

She took a deep breath and continued. "My parents hate me because I turned out like Mika. I know it, they know it. Going to the same school, having the sames dreams, style, interests. They hate my school. They hate what I wanna do with my life. They hate me, Andre! And I'm not gonna give them another reason to hate me. When they look at me, they see Mika, the daughter who ran away. Or so I thought." Jade was on the verge of tears. The boy hadn't seen this type of emotion from her since Mika left.

"Jade, where is this coming from?" Andre pocked a bit, but not too much.

"I found out what Mika wanted to talk about." Jade answered suddenly lacking any emotion.

"Finally sat down and listened to the girl?"

"She didn't just leave Andre. They kicked her out! Of her own home, family, life! They lied, blatantly lied to me! Making me hate her! Or at least trying anyway." Jade was yelling to the moon, letting all her anger out. "They threatened her if she tried to see me. I mean, what kind of parents do that to their own child? For being gay! And they're gonna do it to me too." Jade took a seat on the swing in front of her.

"Mika's gay?" Andre was a bit shocked, but it made sense. "Oh man..." Andre's heart was breaking at the realization of what Jade meant by her last statement.

"I can't Andre. I can't be-" Jade was officially broken, falling to her death, shattering into a million pieces. All of her being was destroyed. "I can't be...gay, Andre..." The confession came out through gritted teeth. She let the tears freely slide down her face, slipping to the dirt underneath her.

"Jade..." Andre muttered as he went down to scoop the girl up in his arms as she cried.

"I can't give them another reason..."

"You don't deserve to cry this much. No one hates you." Andre finally spoke after some time of reflection for the two.

"My parents do."

"No one important. I don't hate you." Andre took Jade's chin to look into her eyes. "Tori doesn't either." He winked and smirked. Jade shook her head and rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm so angry Andre. So much pent up rage over this whole Mika bullshit. I don't know who to be mad at anymore and that's what's throwing me off. How can I be mad at someone for something they technically had no say or choice over? Mika didn't just leave..." Jade racked her brain for an answer while asking Andre at the same time.

"Aim it toward the people that deserve it. Project on the ones that brought on this pain and distrust to you and Mika. The culprits that sent your hero away from you when you were 12, Jade." Andre hinted so much, it might as well of been thrown on a billboard in Times Square.

Jade stood up and looked around for a second, like she was searching for something. It was her mind that she was digging through, pulling all the anger she felt toward Mika and throwing it toward the two deserving ones. Her parents.

She turned to Andre. "I have to go." She started walking before turning back around and giving a sincere plead in her eyes. "Thank you, Andre." He waved and she continued on towards her car. Before reaching for the car door. She heard her name.

"Jade!" A familiar, soothing voice punctured Jade's ears and set up camp in her mind once again.

"Tori?" She turned and looked at the tan girl as she ran toward Jade.

"I'm sorry you're hurting and everything but I needed to make sure you wer-"  
Tori was cut off by Jade grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her so their lips could meet in a crashing and desperate kiss. Tori couldn't react. The only thing she could do was melt into Jade's rosy red, soft lips. Finally, bringing her hands to Jade's face. After another few seconds, Jade pulled away and rested her forehead on Tori's.

"I have to go do something. Okay?" Tori nodded at Jade's remark. "For me. For us. I won't let this happen again. Not to me." Jade searched Tori's golden brown orbs for confirmation that she should risk getting kicked out of her house by her mother. She found it and smiled in relief. She found her strength in the brunette. Jade could definitely do this. With one last, searing kiss, Jade took off to her car. "I'll call you. I'll be back I promise you, Tori."

* * *

_**Another chapter in the books. You know the drill: Reviews please! :) **__**And thank you. BTW, I love Andre in general. Anyone else... ;)**_

_**PS: I had an editing issue with Beck not knowing about Mika. I fixed it. He met her but doesn't remember, if we are being technical. Okay, byes!  
**_

_**~EJ**_


	16. Before This Ship Goes Down

_**A/N: This story is getting intense. Thank you for the reviews from all my loyal readers. It makes me feel good as a writer that so many people read this story. :) **_

_**Next chapter, we go!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious. Sad really. **_

* * *

_**Chapter 16**_

_**Before This Ship Goes Down **_

"_Yay! I'm the Pretty Pretty Princess!" _

"_You always win at this game because I let you. I refuse to wear that ugly crown." _

_12 year-old Jade rolled her eyes at Cat's joyful celebration, again. She hated this game; too pink, too girly, and definitely, too pretty. It was Friday afternoon and their sleepover had just begun, a bit to Jade's dismay. If this was going to be their night, the pale girl would have to rethink the frequency of their sleepovers. As Cat finished her jumping up and down for what Jade counted as at least the tenth time, she heard the door bell ring throughout the Valentine home. _

"_How come we always have to play this game, Cat?" Whined Jade._

"_Because it's pretty!" Cat answered. Jade rolled her eyes and leaned back against the bed and crossed her arms. "Annnd it's my favorite game! Why? What do you wanna play?"_

"_You don't wanna know." Jade replied._

"_Yes I do!" Cat retorted as she sat on her knees next to Jade. The plastic princess crown from the game beginning to slip to the side of her head. She scooped it up and placed back on top._

_"All I have to say is that it involves a hammer..." Jade smirked. Cat grimaced, a bit scared of her friend. It was nothing new. Ever since they met in second grade, they bonded over their love to sing their lungs out, but obviously not interests in games. "Why can't we invite Andre? At least he's fun." Jade asked bitterly._

"_Because! No boys! You know that's the rule to our sleepovers!" Cat exclaimed._

"_But he could leave when we go to sleep." Jade lost this fight as she usually did with Cat._

"_Jade! Your sister is here!" Mrs. Valentine yelled from the bottom of the stairs. Jade furrowed her brows together, thinking about why Mika would be here. Maybe something happened. Either way, an involuntary smile crept onto her lips. She got up and made her way down the stairs to meet Mika outside. _

"_Mikey? What are you doing here?" Jade asked, rapping her arms around Mika's neck to hug her. She backed away after a few seconds and looked into her sister's eyes and saw sorrow. "What's wrong?" Mika took a seat on the steps of the porch and patted next to her, indicating Jade to sit there._

"_I just missed you. I haven't seen you since breakfast." Mika replied with a chuckle. Jade took a seat and sighed. Mika's gaze stared forward, not daring to look anywhere else._

"_I missed you too." Jade's face turned from concern to straight up worry. "Are you crying?" _

_The older West was at a loss for words. How was she supposed to tell Jade that she had to leave? That she had gotten into the worst fight with their parents. This was the last thing she ever wanted to do and the ripping feeling in her chest was destroying her. She thought about taking Jade and running away, but that wouldn't turn out great. Being charged with kidnapping was not in her five year plan. It all started to sink in. She had to leave Jade behind. _

"_Mikey." Jade broke into her thoughts. Mika shook her head and turned to her sister._

"_Yeah? No, I'm not crying." She answered, shaking her head once again. "I just wanted to let you know that I won't be home tomorrow when you get there. I'll be gone all weekend. I didn't want you to panic or whatnot." Mika managed nonchalantly as she forced a small smile to convince Jade. The lie tasted sour on her tongue as she let it slide past her lips, burning even. _

"_Oh. Okay. Well have fun." Jade replied with a half smile. Not being happy with Mika's absence from home tomorrow, she sighed. She heard Cat calling for her. "I gotta go. Cat wants to play my hammer game." Smirking, she rubbed her hands together deviously. _

"_Yeah, sorry for interrupting. Go easy on her."_

"_Don't worry. I'm not really gonna do anything. Besides, my hammer is at home. Just gonna make her think I have it." _

"_Nice. Go on then." Mika smirked and stood up, bringing Jade up with her. "JJ?"_

"_Yeah?" Jade's innocent look in her eyes would vanish when she realized Mika wasn't coming back. Mika knew this. It was her last time to let the shorter West know what she felt for her._

"_I love you. No matter what happens, remember that." Mika hugged Jade one last time, then made her way down the driveway to her Jeep, pain shooting through her like a lightning bolt. Her heart stopped when she looked back and saw Jade watching her leave. The little wave caused a loud sob from Mika's core that she couldn't stop from escaping. Opening the door and stepping into her car, she waved to a confused Jade who stood still on the porch. "I'm sorry." Mika whispered. The car started and began its trip far away from her baby sister. Her fist connected with the steering wheel and tears burned her eyes. She stared into the rearview mirror only to see Jade's feet still planted on the porch. "I'm sorry." _

_. . . . . . . . . . . . ._

It was dark and quiet when Jade burst into the front door of her house. The word 'home' never left her mouth ever since Mika was kicked out of the family. Even before then, home was not a four letter word associated with the West family. Her chest felt like it was being crushed by a full sized elephant. All the pent up anger Jade possessed was catching up with her. If anyone thought she was angry with Mika, they didn't want to see what kind of wrath she held in her heart now, for her parents. What made them think that they were doing the right thing?

The house looked deserted, but of course, Jade knew better. Jasper was up in his room doing homework, while mommy dearest was in her office downstairs doing what she always did, work. She rounded the corner past the kitchen and den, finally eyeing the slit of light coming from underneath the door. She stopped dead in her tracks. She looked around at the photos that lined the wall in the dark hallway. The family pictures were all lies that her mom loved to believe. A fairytale they never lived in. This family was a sham. This thought only fed the fire.

Jade found her footing once more and continued to the door of the office. If a look could set someone ablaze, Jade had it. She reached the door, threw it open and stepped in, guns drawn.

"Jade Augusta, what do you think you're doing? You should have been home an hour ago. And you took the car again, I see." Ms. West spoke in her 'motherly' stern tone.

"Cut the 'I'm a caring mom' bullshit." Jade retaliated with enough venom, it could kill a medium sized bear.

"Excuse me? Who do you think-" It was definitely. Mom vs. Daughter.

"NO! Who are you to tell me what to do anymore?"

"I'm your mother."

"You're a liar."

"What?"

"How can you sit there and lie to me for five years?"

"What are you talking about?" With that poor denial, Jade was not going to spell it out to the older woman. Plus, she had a feeling her mother knew exactly what she was speaking of. All the rage that was coursing through her body from the last five miserable years was about to show itself and spill over like lava, causing destruction and mayhem in its wake. The fuming girl turned on her heal and stormed out of the office, her mother right on her tail.

"I'm done listening to you." Jade exclaimed, raising her voice as her fist met the glass of the family portrait, shattering it to pieces. Her mother heard to commotion before seeing it but flinched regardless.

"Listen here young lady-" As she looked up once she reached where Jade had settled in the hallway passing the mess on the floor, Ms. West's face mirrored her feelings of disbelief. Her brain had to reset itself due to the sight of both her daughters, standing in the foyer, side by side. "Mika?" She voiced in absolute incredulity. She thought the day would never come when she could see just how grown her girls became, together. Both turned into such beauties, Mika slightly taller than a paler Jade. Anyone could tell they were sisters. "I did hear you in Jade's room last night."

"Hi, Mom." Mika thought she would come in, guns ablaze, but her heart wasn't strong enough for that. It broke on site. The memories of being thrown out the front door, her mother's look of confusion and disgust, flooded Mika's vision. Her brain was in over drive and suddenly, "You can tell Dad I'm here. I'm ready to face the both of you." Shaky confidence poured out of her mouth after looking over to a still fuming Jade, feeling a squeeze of her hand by the younger girl for reassurance.

"I wanted you to come home, Mika. I really did. But your father-"

"Don't blame this all on him. You were in on it as much as he was. Do you know how it feels to go on with life, knowing that your family hates you?"

"I never hated-"

"You could have fooled me..." Silence fell on the three. The tension filled the entire house. Mika took a deep breath, keeping the fire in her eye to drive her point home. They were glued to her mother's. "You were the one that ratted me out to him! Didn't want the deviant to ruin your second shot at raising a daughter so you sent me away!" The 22 year-old took another breath to calm herself. "I would have been content leaving this God forsaken house, forgetting you two ever existed, moving on with my life and making a real family. The only thing that kept bringing me back was Jade. I'm done sneaking around. I'm not scared of you two anymore. You can't keep her away from me any longer."

"You lied Mother. How could you look at my broken hearted face every night...and lie when I asked you if Mika was ever coming back? You KNEW the answer. She didn't leave! You kicked her out for loving another girl? Who does that? To their own child?"

"It was your father." Ms. West looked from daughter to daughter with tears in her eyes, pleading. "I'm...I'm sorry..."

"Are you gonna kick me out too?" Jade asked with the slightest fear escaping past her lips.

"What?" Absolute confusion in the woman's voice.

"No she's not. She wouldn't make the same life altering mistake again, would you Mom?" The cold stare Mika forced on her mother was unbearable.

Jade walked up to the desperate woman, looked her straight in the eye and spoke the truth, something that was difficult for the whole West family. "There's this girl at school, Mom. And I like her...a lot actually. She makes me feel worthy of human touch, of her time. Something I haven't felt since Mika left. So you can do whatever you want. Throw me out. But it won't help anything." Anger was lost as the words left Jade's mouth. Anger was easy. But this feeling, was much more painful to feel. It was the first time, ever really, that she spoke to her mother so sincerely, like a daughter would if she were close with her mother. Ms. West said nothing out of pure shock.

It was Mika's turn to walk up to the psychologist. "Jade and I are gonna try to mend our relationship, if she ever forgives me. You can be a part of that too, if you choose. I guess." Uncertainty filled her voice as she spoke. Her brows furrowed, eyes squinting, barricading the tears back behind her lids, shaking her head.

"We're gonna try and get the five years you and Dad ripped away from us, my childhood, everything. Mika may care, but to be honest, it wouldn't matter to me if you wanted to be a part of it or not." Jade looked up keeping her own tears from spilling over the brim, while speaking her final words. Into the evening air she went, Mika in tow.

* * *

_**Hope it was all to your liking everyone. I wasn't sure if I wanted this just all angst or show some heart, so I mixed it up. So review, review, review please. Tell me what you hated, loved, vent about the crappy parenting of the Wests. Anything.**_

_** Until next chapter... :)**_

_**~EJ**_


	17. Now That You're Home

_******A/N: I'm back. Finally. Once again, thank you for the continued reviews and support from everyone. You know what they do to me lol **_

**_So, on with the good. Enjoy!_**

**_Disclaimer: See chapter 1_**

* * *

_**Chapter 17**_

_**Now That You're Home**_

_The room was dark as time ticked by slowly. Jade was wide awake, something she had come accustomed to since Mika disappeared. It had been one year to the day. The last time she saw her big sister. Jade laid on her side staring at the window, wishing, praying her door would open and Mika would appear at the doorway with a big grin on her face. But that was the same wish she had every night. Her parents were downstairs fighting, again. These were the nights where Jade needed Mika the most._

_The fighting finally ceased, front door slammed and she heard her bedroom door creak open a couple minutes later. It was her mother checking up on her. This happened after every fight since Mika wasn't here to take care of Jade, her mother would have to find the time._

"_Jade, Honey? Are you asleep?" _

"_No. I can't sleep. It's too noisy." Jade answered with attitude in her voice. _

_"I know. I'm sorry. But it's over now so why don't you drift off now." Mrs. West suggested while tucking the blankets over Jade._

"_Mom? When is Mika coming back?" Jade's question halted her mother in her tracks. It was the first time in a while that her daughter had asked about Mika. Her continued silence gave Jade the final answer she needed. It was always 'She might be back soon,' or 'Just give it time.' Not this time. "She's not coming back, is she?"_

"_You need to get to sleep. You have school in the morning. Good night, Sweetheart." Mrs. West ignored the last statement and kissed Jade on the forehead before exiting the room and shutting the door gently. _

_Jade cried herself to sleep as the last inkling of hope dwindled in her broken, little heart. Before she drifted off, she made a promise to herself. 'No more caring.' _

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

The sun was just about set, making the sky marble with purple, red and a hint of the dark blue night. The street lights flickered on as the quiet filled the ears of the broken-hearted, exhausted, and defeated West sisters. They sat near the end of the driveway on the curb of their once tolerable childhood home. Mika's vision aimed up to watch the swirls of different colors fusing together on the horizon to make the black that would soon engulf the city. Jade, faced down toward the pavement. Twenty minutes. It had been twenty minutes since their overdue showdown with their mother. Neither girl spoke a word. Not one. For Twenty minutes.

"Now what?" Jade broke the spell. Her voice was so small, it reminded Mika of when Jade was a child. That memory broke her even more, if that were possible.

"I don't know." Mika sighed, closed her eyes, and shook her head.

"I thought it would all be different, you know? I thought with as much anger as I felt, I'd lay into her. But after seeing the look on her face..." Jade trailed off, like nothing she said could justify it. The pain in her mother's eyes was the pain she felt, what Mika felt.

"She's just as broken as us." Mika finished absentmindedly. Side by side, the sisters both sighed deeply, racked their hands through their hair, then crossed their arms. They turned to each other and realized that they had the same mannerisms. Rolling their eyes, they chuckled, which turned into a full out laugh fest, right then and there. It turned into one of those laughs where they couldn't breathe, and started coughing. It was much needed, the release of pressure and guilt, pain and sorrow. When it died down, the silence took over once again. This time, Mika broke it.

"Jade? I know our family was never like the Cleavers or the Brady Bunch, but I'm really glad I got to grow up with you as my little sister." Her voice, normally so confident, cracked, something that was happening a lot lately. All these emotions that she had been holding back for so long were coming back to the surface this past week. "Jade?"

She was crying. Full on, relentless, crying. Sobbing really, head in her hands, hair creating a shield around her, knees pulled in. Mika froze. The realization of how much Jade was like her came to her mind. The younger girl held in all her emotions about this fiasco just as much, if not even more.

"Come here." Mika held out her arms for Jade. The older girl held her sister like she would never let go and in her head, she wasn't ever going to. The best part, Jade held onto Mika the same exact way. "I'm sorry." Stroking Jade's hair, Mika tightened her grip and let herself feel for the first time in years. She felt relief. "I'm so sorry." Relief that she could keep Jade together and not be rejected. Truthfully, they kept each other together, by a thread. "Never again. I promise."

As Jade's crying began to subside, Mika eased up on her grip of their embrace and started to rub her sister's back, soothingly. Jade took the sleeves of her shirt to dry her face and eyes of any remaining tears. What a mess.

"So...how long did it take for you to fit in those?" Mika asked about the cherry red boots that covered Jade's feet, with her arm around Jade's shoulders comfortingly.

"Well, considering the fact that it takes a lot to fill your shoes, three years." Jade answered, looking down at her feet, remembering when Mika used to wear the boots. Jade always wanted a pair like this. Always wanted to be like her big sister.

"Are you saying I have big feet?" Mika said, faking disbelief.

"Noooo, I-"

"I get it. You steal my boots and then call my feet big. I feel the love." Mika chuckled as she squeezed Jade's shoulder.

"Well, now they fit me so I'm in that category with you." Jade genuinely smiled. It was the first one Mika had seen in five years and the first one Jade felt herself form. It was amazing to finally witness it. As their laughing faded, another silence fell on the girls. Deep breaths came from both.

"So, what's up with that Beck guy?"

"Ex-boyfriend. Won't get over me I guess." Her eyebrows furrowed. "Wait... how do you know-"

"He was stalking outside the house the night I snuck in and we had the pleasure of meeting. What'd you see in him?"

"He's usually a nice guy. Remember when I was twelve and I had the science fair?" Jade hinted.

"Yeah. Wait, the kid that was annoying you? Oh yeah. I remember meeting him now, barely" Jade gave a stern look but nodded as well. "He acted like he never met me."

"I never told him you were my sister. He doesn't remember you at all. He's mad at me for it." Jade's vision stared at her boots.

"But seriously? Why?" Mika chuckled.

"He was safe."

"Since when is Jade West safe?"

"Since she lost her best friend." Mika knew exactly what she meant by that. She was Jade's best friend. Mika had nothing to say to that because it hurt too much. How were they supposed to talk about something so painful?

Silence filled the space around the two girls. "So, any special girls in your life?" Jade asked with genuine interest and elbowing Mika in the side earning her a chuckle from her sister. She turned her head to face Mika and her sister removed her arm from Jade's shoulders and rubbed her hands together. It was all new territory for the both, talking to each other about girls. Talking about anything for that matter. Maybe they could get back to the way they used to be.

"Used to. I screwed it up."

"How?"

"The typical West trick: Kept her at arms length." Mika answered with sadness in her voice. Were they really talking to each other without screaming? That thought brought a sad smirk on her face. "I wanted to let her in..." Jade nodded in agreement, knowing all too well what Mika was saying.

"What was her name?" Jade pushed for more information. From the time Mika left, all Jade wanted to do was exactly this; have a conversation, learn all about Mika's life again. Jade ran her hand through her black waves and used her other hand to lean on her knee.

"Jane." Mika answered.

"Jane? That's literally one letter from my name." Jade laughed humorously at thought. "You think that wasn't painfully obvious?" Mika smirked as she shook her head. "Where did you meet?" Jade was forgetting that she was ever mad at Mika.

"Mmph, ah. Let's see... We were playing a show awhile back and her band played before us. She was amazing." Mika's eyes showed that she was playing a flashback in head. Jade watched her sister's face intently. That was for sure the look she herself had when thinking about Tori. Mika shook her thoughts away. "Anyway, our bands hit it off and decided we would tour together if either of us made it big. I should get a call from my manager about that tour soon." Mika lost herself in the memory once more.

"Tour? Another one?" Jade smirked. "So, you have to go on tour with her?" Mika nodded her answer, blowing out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Well, open up this time." Jade replied plainly, like it was so easy. She knew it wasn't but if she could do it, Mika could too. Finally realizing that she was going down a painful path, the singer veered the conversation to Jade.

"So, Tori huh? How did that happen?" Mika quickly flipped the script.

"I don't even know. She came to Hollywood Arts, sang a song and stole my heart." Jade let it slip.

"Wow. I know that feeling." Mika grinned, thinking about her baby sister finding love. But they were avoiding the one topic they needed to talk out. Neither found the courage to bring it up until now. "When did you move into my room?" Start small.

"Over a year ago." Jade's gaze hit the pavement underneath her. "I needed...needed to feel close to you. I thought if I was around your space, bed, everything, I could feel your energy or some crap like that. I never talked about you, to anyone, not even Cat. Then you come around, Tori sees and I open up like an automatic door. Ugh, I'm a mess." Jade breathed out as she swiped the tears from her eyes quickly.

"I'm sorry." Mika felt so heavy with guilt. A few minutes passed through the night with both girls wondering where they go from here. Jade had so many questions but where to start? Jade looked toward the sky to study the stars that began to rapidly appear as the night engulfed the sky.

"Where did you go when they kicked you out?" Not daring to look at Mika in case her heart broke again. She wouldn't show the older girl the pain this all brought to her again. She felt like it was Mika's turn to break.

"Evan's. He just rented out a place and had a spare room I crashed at." Mika was hesitant to elaborate on the first few years after she left home. She was lost in thought before turning to look into sad green-blue eyes that belonged to Jade. She was pleading for more about the whole thing. Mika took the hint sighed, and continued. "You sure?"

"I need to know, Mika. I think you need it as much as I do." Jade pleaded grabbing Mika's hand. "I'm here." Who would have thought she could be so comforting?

"Okay." Mika shook her head of any doubt and got her thoughts in order before spilling out the most painful time of her life. "It was hell. I must have cried myself to sleep every night for six months. After that, I ran out of tears. I actually slept with Evan the whole time." Jade gave her a look. "Not in _that _way. Anyway, I would go to your school almost everyday to watch you play on the playground after you were let out for the day. Seeing you running around having fun helped. But after a while, you started to sit on the side, looking so sad."

"Because I was losing hope that you'd come back." Jade cleared up sadly and slightly bitterly. Mika winced at the tone...

"I figured. All I wanted to do was sweep you up in my arms. After my _attempt_-"

"Wait. What kind of attempt?" Jade's mind always went to the worst case scenario. No answer. "Mika. What attempt?" Jade's panic started to manifest in her voice as her volume rose a bit. What was Mika talking about? Mika closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. "Mika!"

"I tried to..." She wiped her hands over her face. "I tried to end it. All the pain. I know, dramatic, right? I'm not proud of it." Jade's empty hand instantly covered her mouth, unable to speak or react. "From being kicked out of my house for being me and realizing that I might not be able to see you ever again or you might not forgive me, all the pressure hit me and...I cracked. I'll tell you now, I'm glad it didn't work..." Mika finished quickly with tears on the brim staring into Jade's dark orbs.

"Oh my God." Jade's face was a contortion of pain, sadness, pure agony. The thought of Mika dying was heart wrenching. The thought of death fascinated her, morbid curiosity being satisfied by a number of horror movies. But thinking about the one person she always loved, even through all this was more painful than anything characters went through in though very films. She knocked herself out of her daze and threw her arms around Mika's neck and buried her face in her big sister's neck. "I'm so sorry, Mikey. But don't you ever fucking think about doing that again." She whispered with a growl of the last part.

Through Mika's tears that she finally let fall, she smiled at Jade calling her by her nickname. Her heart swelled. "You called me Mikey."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"_Finally." Mika mumbled to herself as she watched the last light in the house, she grew up in, turn off. One year. One year filled with a constant sense of dread every morning when she woke up. Every night when she cried herself to sleep. Knowing that it was just another day she wouldn't speak to Jade. The pain was increasing with every hour that passed of everyday. She was on her last leg with life at this point. Nothing could save her and that thought scared the shit out of her. She scared herself. How could she live one more day?_

_She threw the cigarette that she was smoking out the window, opening the door and stepping out of her Jeep. She wasn't sure if seeing Jade made things better or worse, but tonight was no question. She had to see her. There was something in her eyes. Something like a flicker of fire. The last of her will and spirit that had yet to burn out. It was only a matter of time though. _

_As she shimmied her way up to the roof to Jade's window, a pang surfaced in her heart. Her eyes landed on the sleeping form just inside. The moon was full as it beamed through the panes of the window. Mika shook her head and pulled the window open, stepping in quickly, quietly. Taking a seat on the chair in the corner, Mika studied her sister's face. She saw the faint hint of pain across her brow, even in sleep. After a few minutes, Mika took out a small box that held a simple ring in the shape of a 'J'. Inscribed was 'Love M' on the inside. "Sorry I missed your birthday...and Christmas." She whispered, a bitter laughter escaping, past her lips. Placing it on the bookshelf next to the chair, she got up and sat on the bed. _

_Suddenly, Jade started to move around in her sleep. Mika froze as Jade turned over, back now to Mika. The older girl took this moment to lay down next to Jade and cuddled up behind her. She gently placed her arm around her sister and held her tight and cried. "Mikey, your squeezing me." Jade mumbled in her sleep._

_Mika panicked inside, not daring to move a muscle except to ease her hold on her sister. Jade settled back into a deeper sleep before Mika moved. She kissed her on the top of her head. "I love you. I'm sorry. You were my favorite." With those words of goodbye whispered into Jade's ear, Mika removed herself from the bed and made her way back to the window. She turned back one last time to blow a kiss toward Jade. With that, she was gone, 'soon to be forever,' she thought._

* * *

_**They finally had that heart to heart :) I loved writing it. Review please. It will help me get over my minor knee surgery that I'll be going through tomorrow. So please review! **  
_

_**I'll be back soon... ;) Nothing can keep me down.**_


	18. The Ghost Inside

_**A/N: Happy 4th of July to all my fellow Americans and Happy belated Canada Day as well. **_

_**I am soooo sorry this is so late. Long over due. I know. Please don't hurt me. It's been a weird few weeks. Responsibilities and all. I don't like this getting older thing. I'm still young but come on, not fun. lol I hope you guys are still interested in reading on. I'm always weary of taking still long to update because patience really is a difficult thing sometimes. I hope this story is worth the wait for everyone.**_

**_Anyway, enough of the excuses and whatnot. _**

**_Finally, an update!_**

**_Disclaimer: Still not the owner of Victorious._**

* * *

_**Chapter 18**_

_**The Ghost Inside **_

"What's taking so damn long?" Staring at her phone for the last half hour, saying Tori was worried about the West sisters was a true understatement. The chaos going on in her mind was overwhelming and the only way to control her anxieties was burst out every so often. This time around was no different. She wanted so badly to find Jade's number in her phone and call the pale girl herself but she knew that wouldn't go over well. When Jade says she is going to do something, she pulls through.

"Tori, relax. I'm sure everything is fine." Andre just prayed that Tori wouldn't lose her mind before everything was settled. A clear sign of it, a steady increase of profanity in Tori's language.

"You say that now, but what if Jade went on this crazy ass rampage and set the damn house on fire?" The brunette exclaimed dramatically. After being calmed down by a stern stare from Andre, Tori settled into the couch of the Vega residence, once more. The West sisters were still dealing with their family trouble and Jade had yet to call the fidgety brunette. The whole thing was starting to get to Andre and making Tori sit still and relax proved to be a difficult task. Tori jumped up from the couch and started to pace, beginning her panic, again.

"Tori...Tori...Tori!" Andre got up and took the frantic girl by the shoulders.

"What!" Tori snapped.

"I'm this close to tyin' down you to a chair." Andre exclaimed, holding up his index finger and thumb close together to emphasize his point. "Now sit down and breathe woman." Tori looked him in the eye with anger, then realization, finally, more panic.

"I'm just scared, Andre." She took a seat on the edge of the couch.

"Mika isn't gonna let anything happen to Jade. I promise." Andre tried to reassure his brunette friend. He had to stay the strong one in this situation. Everyone else was falling apart. Plus, he knew how protective Mika was of her sister. Taking a deep breath, Andre went on. "What is with you and Jade anyway? I know something's going on. We all do."

Tori's head spun around to meet his eyes again, this time, shock glazed over. Andre's eyes were as gentle as being touched by a the softest pillow created. "I fell for her Andre. I don't know how. I don't know why...But I did." Her gaze fell on empty space as her thoughts drifted to the raven beauty.

"And she fell for you, didn't she?" He grabbed her hand for comfort. "When did this all happen?" Curiosity got the best of the musician. At first, he thought the way Jade treated Tori was her just being Jade. But it turned into flirting and fun teasing. Then it all clicked in his mind long before the two girls knew.

"After Jade and Beck broke up, I noticed that she did pretty much everything to ignore me, even stopped teasing me. I secretly hated the absence. And I realized there must be something seriously wrong with me, right?" Andre chuckled. "So I tried to figure out a way to get back into Jade's spotlight. Enter Mika. The first time I saw Jade fall apart over Mika, I knew." Tori's brows were furrowed in thought, wondering and hoping Jade felt the same. Her worries doubled.

"So when you discouraged my feelings for Jade, it wasn't for you to swoop in?" Andre asked with a serious look written on his face.

"No! Of course not!" Tori panicked.

"Relax. I'm just teasing." Andre smiled and pulled Tori in for a much needed hug. Tori settled into Andre's arms. While they sat there, Andre took this time to bring up one more person. "What about Bec-"

"Please Andre. I'll deal with him as soon as I hear from Jade." Tori huffed as she tried to pull herself off the boy that ticked her off seconds after comforting her, ringing her hands at the uncomfortable issue they were currently discussing. Andre pulled back.

"I'm sorry. Bad timing. Just so you know, I support you. But only if you deal with him. He's your friend too." Andre said, putting reason into the situation.

"I know..." Tori mumbled. Andre looked around the living room, as if asking himself a question suddenly.

"Where are your parents anyway?"

"I don't know." Tori answered looking at Andre, just as baffled. "Another trip?" The two confused teenagers just looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders, minds refocusing on the task at hand.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"So, how long have you been sneaking into my room again? Because that climb was a workout." Jade expressed her frustration as she finally found her feet on the floor of her room. Not wanting to run into her mother again tonight, Mika suggested they sneak into Jade's room so she could pack a bag. There was absolutely no way the pale girl could deal with her mother again tonight.

"Oh...ever since I left. A lot a practice makes you an expert." Mika answered sheepishly, taking a seat on her sister's bed, rubbing her hands on the black jean clad thighs. She stared at the motion of her hands, continuing her rant. "One time, I had to hide in the closet because you burst into the room all mad and almost caught me. It was straight out of a movie." Mika silenced her chuckle and gulped when she felt Jade's sad eyes were on her. What was present in the look couldn't be described. Pain, hurt, embarrassment, anger. Everything swirled together to make Jade's eyes a deeper, darker shade of blue. The most painful unanswered question on her mind slipped passed her rosy lips.

"When did you...try to..." Jade couldn't finish her question before she had to look up to gather her unshed tears. Her breathing was labored by the pang of agony in her chest caused by the subject.

"Come sit." Jade did as she was told.

Her head was whirling with so many questions. But she didn't know how to ask them. That, and Tori must be worried sick. If it wasn't for that feisty brunette, she wouldn't be here with Mika, talking. For once, she was grateful for Tori's snooping. She could feel her heart skip a beat just thinking of the tan girl who was quickly collecting the broken pieces of that same heart crushed years ago.

"When the one year came around that March, I knew I was probably gonna miss another one of your birthdays, that was the last straw for me. I gave up. Dad was still being unreasonable. Every single ounce of hope drained from me. It was so much pain. I wasn't even me. I was so messed up on anything I could get my hands on, I almost failed my Senior year, I fucked it up with Erin, but I didn't care. Then, I thought about what you were going through and that was a whole different kind of hell." Deep breaths.

Jade looked out the window and took her sister's words in to process them. When she looked down at Mika's hands to take one in her own, Jade noticed that Mika had a ring on similar to the one she wore herself, but this one was made into an 'M' shape. She played with it, brushing over it with her fingers. "Where did you get this ring?"

Mika glanced at Jade's hand that was placed on her own. "See the one you wear?" Mika continued after receiving an intrigued nod. "That's what I got you for the first Christmas I missed. I thought it could be our last connection, even if you didn't know it was from me."

"I knew it... I hoped. It was the only thing I had." Jade replied absentmindedly. Mika shook her head to control her emotions. "I showed Mom. She said she gave it to me. Another damn lie." Jade stared at the silver symbol of their sisterhood. She couldn't believe that her mother would go so far.

"I bought it with some of the 'dirty' money Dad gave me." Mika pulled her hand a away from Jade and laid back, flat on the bed. "That was the same night I took all those pills..." Jade gulped at Mika's confession. Anger was boiling in her at everything. Mostly her father. It was all his fault.

Jade rushed to her feet at the mention of her father. The fury could be seen straight through her eyes, to the core of her being. She figured out the feeling that wouldn't disappear. The distaste for her father, a sperm donor, the reason for the last five miserable years. She marched back to her bag of clothes and finished packing, dealing with her anger on the items of clothes.

"Jade?" Mika called out, after pulling herself up to a sitting position. "Jade." The angery girl continued her assault. "JJ." Mika used the only name that she knew would get her sister's attention. It stopped Jade right in her tracks.

"He kept telling me that my dreams wouldn't amount to anything. That acting wasn't a viable career. That I was just falling in your failed footsteps...I actually think he hates me." Jade was visibly shaking from head to toe, voice cracking. Mika shook as well, from pure rage.

"That son of a bitch...I'm gonna kill him...finish up packing. Meet me at the car." Her voice was distant and a bit frightening to Jade's ears. She was...scared. Mika stormed to the window and down to the porch roof. "Mika..." Jade stared at the window, knowing exactly where they were going. Taking a deep breath, she rushed the rest of her stuff into the bag.

"Jade?" A tiny voice called from her doorway.

"Jasper? What are you doing up? It's past nine. Didn't Mom tuck you in?" The little boy just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head in response. "Come on." Her tone was a bit harsh but Jasper said nothing to it as Jade gently grabbed his hand and guided him back to his room.

"Jade?"

"What?" She replied in her usual bored tone. Knowing that she should be a bit nicer to him, she winced. It was obvious that sisters weren't always mean to their little siblings, at least shouldn't be, but she just never built up the patience to be nice to anyone, really. Tori made her way into her head. It was a mystery how the girl with sun-kissed skin ever slipped Jade's mind these days. No matter how ridiculous Trina was, Tori always complied with her demon sister. Was that Jade in _this_ family? The demon sister? Was she a Trina! It had to change, now.

"Who was that girl climbing out your window?" The 8 year-old asked shyly. Jade sat down on the edge of his bed, sending a hand through her hair, sighing as Jasper settled back in his red race car bed.

"Mika..." Jade's heart sank at the question, knowing that Jasper didn't remember much about his eldest sister, but knew the name, of course. The sadness poured out of her as she continued. "She's my sister." Jade answered, forgetting whom she was speaking to.

"If she's your sister, then she's mine too." The petite brunette boy stated, rubbing his tired eyes with his little fists.

"Yeah Buddy." Jade ruffled his brown hair, the same shade as Mika, and pulled the covers over him to tuck him in for the night. "You don't remember much about her, do you?" He shook his head again. "Well, maybe someday you'll be able to get to know her. Now get to sleep." Jade finished after getting up from the bed.

"Jade?"

"Yeah?"

"Good night."

"Good night, Jasper." Jade made her way to the doorway, shutting the lights off. "Now sleep." She shut the door, keeping it ajar a crack so the hallway light would give him comfort during the night. Quickly walking to her own room, she grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, scribbling something barely legible.

_If you want to become a better mother to us, start by taking care of Jasper. -J _

Making her way to her mother's room, she placed the note on the bed, headed to her own room and grabbed her bag, thinking twice when she saw Ted, the brown stuffed bear, sitting on the shelf. Contemplating whether she should bring it with her, she finally decided to grab him and stuffed him into her bag, pushing out her fear of anyone knowing she slept with him from time to time. She hopped out the window to a waiting Mika.

* * *

_**Everyone still here? Good. For your patience and love of my story, (I hope :p) I will be updating again this week because let's face it, I've kept you waiting for far too long. Last thing... Review/Comment please? For those who review EVERY chapter, a special thank you. :) But really, anyone and everyone who reviews, I greatly appreciate it. **_

**_So review, review, review! Thanks! Okay, Byes!_**

**_~EJ_**


	19. Papa, Won't You Dance With Me?

_******A/N: Hello everyone. I'm finally back. I'm sorry if it took too long. I hope you're not too annoyed. Anyhow, I know you guys have been Jori depleted lately with this story, but I promise, they will be back. Patience because I gotta rap up the drama. lol **_

_**This chapter has some profanity and an inkling of violence so be warned.**_

_**Enjoy :)**_

_**Disclaimer: Not the owner of Victorious.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 19**_

_**Papa, Won't You Dance With Me?**_

_Jade threw her over-night bag on the bed. After a night of horrible fairy tales and too much ice cream, not to mention too much of Cat, she was exhausted and it was only noon. What was she supposed to do on a saturday afternoon without her sister or even the whole weekend, now that she mention it to herself? It's not like her parents would really be around for her, even if she wanted them to be. Her stare reached her window, studying a bird perched on the tree branch close by. She wondered where she would go if she could fly. How far could she get from her parents?_

_Her thoughts quickly wandered to her conversation with Mika from yesterday at Cat's. Her sister seemed so sad and lost. An eerie feeling filled her heart as she moved swiftly through her room, landing her butt in the chair at her desk. _

_Her eyes focused on a black, long and narrow box with a folded note on it. A smile grew on her lips and she ripped the note from its place, unfolded it and quickly read it. _

_**'If love comes your way, don't be afraid. Unlock the box your heart's encased. xoxo -M'**_

_Jade furrowed her eyebrows at the words. She was 12. She didn't know anything about love. But she shrugged off the confusing words and went for the box's top, eyes big with excitement. Mika's presents were always the best. Lifting the top, she found yet another note and groaned, never being one with patience. _

_**'I know the last words don't make much sense now but one day, they will. Here's my end of the deal. Happy early birthday JJ. Four months early to be exact. I know you have this growing fascination with these so I thought I'd feed into it. Be careful.'**_

_She placed the note with the first one carefully and chuckled. Finally getting to the good stuff, she revealed her present from Mika. She couldn't believe it. The prettiest pair of scissors one had ever placed their eyes on. The silver metal of the blades glistened in the sun, black painted handle spot on for her taste. A wide smile grew on the pale girl's face as she examined the newest addition to her small collection. They were perfect. They were automatically her new favorite._

"_I can't wait until Mika gets home." Jade mumbled to herself with the grin still plastered on her porcelain skinned face as the bad feeling she felt earlier melted at the way her new scissors sounded, music to her ears. _

_. . . . . . . . . . . . ._

"You're listening to the World Famous, 106.7 KROQ Los Angeles. Bringing you the best in alternative rock! I'm your DJ, Nicole Alvarez rockin' it with you 'til 10. This next song hit the airwaves a month ago and hasn't stopped since. They got a show right here in LA tomorrow night. From our very own home grown, 'The State Of', it's 'Anxious' right here on 106.7 KROQ."

The radio perked Jade's interest when she heard her sister's band being blasted through the speakers of the older girl's Jeep. To be honest, Jade heard everything the band had released so far, in secret of course. And well, she loved it all. The feeling that Mika's voice and lyrics brought to Jade was a sense of comfort and warmth, like old times. She was one for torturing herself, had to connect somehow. The thing here was the fact that she was listening to the song with Mika. Surreal.

Mika on the other hand began to sweat, gripping the steering wheel a bit too tightly. Her serious gaze drifted to Jade, as the song played on. A bit of anxiety filled her stomach, her whole body stiff. Nothing was said during the duration of the song. The tension they felt when this crazy week started was back and worse. Mika felt like she couldn't breathe. So many people critiqued and pulled her music apart to make it 'better' in the music industry, but waiting for Jade's opinion was the most gut wrenching feeling. As the next song started up, Mika remained frozen.

"I like it." Jade stated softly, simple, to the point, honest. Her head faced the window, eyes focused on nothing in particular.

"Good." Mika replied, pulling to the curb of her father's house, releasing the breath she was unaware she was holding. Jade turned her head, eyeing the old, beat up photos on Mika's dash board.

"You always cared..." Jade whispered loud enough for Mika to hear. Jade rolled her eyes at her emotional behavior lately. What was happening to her? Maybe it was the fact that family was always a sore spot in her heart, her big sister sitting next her after five years, Tori. All Jade wanted to do was run back to the tan girl's house and cuddle up on the couch or something, anything. Not face probably the most intimidating man in her life. She dreaded this moment. Hazel-greens stared at the side of her sister's pale face. The silence was heavy as Mika mumbled the words before her brain processed them.

"That's why I'm here." Mika held her breath when her eyes locked with familiar blue-greens. Jade swallowed hard and simply nodded.

"We can do this, Mikey." After a few seconds, Jade reassured both herself and Mika, but her shaky voice made her doubt herself. It was Mika's turn to nod.

"This is the house?" Jade hesitantly nodded in response. The concern she felt coursed through her veins at the thought of being here after finding he was the culprit. "Okay..." Mika unhooked her seat belt, taking a deep breath and turning to Jade. "Stay here."

"But Mika-"

"Stay in the car Jade. I'm serious."

"Mika..."

"Car. You. Stay." Mika stepped out and pointed to Jade's seat to emphasize her point. Jade furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and frustration. She searched Mika's eyes and saw fear but determination. Her hand froze on the handle of the door. Todd West was a terrifying man when he wanted to be, especially to his children.

"Okay." Jade murmured quietly, accompanied by a sigh.

Mika shut the door. Making sure Jade listened to her, she looked back and found Jade still sitting in the passenger seat, arms crossed, sour look in place on her face.

Blowing out another breath, she took the first step in the direction the house. One car sat in the driveway, empty garage wide open. The license plate on the Audi read "TWEST." Of that was him. Mika rolled her eyes and proceeded through the garage, to the door that was almost certain to be unlocked that led to the interior of the house. The lights were off in the kitchen. She examined her surroundings, dragging her finger along the marble counter top in the process, eyes up at the high ceilings. 'Where is his office?' She thought to herself. Her glancing around paid off as her eyes landed on the light shining from below the door down the hall. She crept the rest of the way. Standing in front of the door, she thought of what she would say, what he would say, if Jade would indeed stay in the car.

With one last breath, she knocked.

She heard ruffling on the other side of the door before hearing his bellowing voice, door opening. "Kate, I told you not to disturb me-"

"Hello, Father." He held his frown firmly in place to hide the shock and irritation of seeing his eldest daughter again, taking her presence in. When he gave her the payments, he just sent them to her account, not needing to speak at all about their agreement.

"Mika...What are you doing here? You are breaking our agreement." His monotone voice echoed in the long hallway. Their matching hazel-green orbs locked, both radiating an intensity that anyone would be able to feel. Mika gulped, but kept eye contact.

"Well, _Dad, _consider it permanently broken." Mika said, pushing into her father's office. It took everything to hold down her fear. She set up shop right in front of the desk, Mr. West's back still to her.

"Do you want more money, Mika?"

"This isn't about money. I don't need your money. I'm sick and tired of this shit, _Todd_. I'm done playing your game, your rules, being afraid of you!"

"Stay away from Jade. I'm warning you Mika."

"What the fuck are you gonna do about it?"

"Mika..."

"Why do you even care? It's not like you ever treated her like she was worth anything!" Jade could hear from where she stood in the kitchen. Of course she wasn't going to stay in the car. She was a West. "All the shit you put me and Jade through. I can't believe I ever thought of you as someone I should look up to, you judgmental ass-" Fear chocked her neck closed. But after a few seconds, her anger arose once again. "Face me like a man, DAD. Face ME!"

He spun on his heal and marched right up to Mika, towering over her frame that was leaning against the desk now, taking off a few inches from her height. He took the collar of her jacket in his fists. "Shut. Your. Mouth."

"Or what, Dad? You gonna hit me?" Mika had nothing to lose at this point. Jade headed for the office door, eyebrows furrowed in anger, strides twice as long as normal. "DO IT!" Mika yelled. "It wouldn't be the first time." She whispered. He let go at that and turned his back once more.

"Get out before I call the police."

"That might have worked when I was 17, but not now." She caught his eye with her own in realization as he dared a glance back at Mika. "You hate us. Don't you Dad? No matter what we did, nothing was good enough. No wonder Jade's so damn lost. She never had a chance." Her voice was finally calm. Mika didn't even see a flinch in her father's face. That lit the fuse once more. This roller-coaster of emotions was crushing Mika's heart."You are a fucking coward. You're no man. You can't even admit your own fuck ups! First, you throw me out, then abandon the rest of your family."

"You're no better than me." Mr. West countered calmly.

"I'm nothing like you. I came back. For her!" Mr. West's temper was boiling at this point. Mika's face was red from yelling. She was trembling everywhere. 'Stay in the car Jade.' She thought. "Jade knows I'm back...She knows everything." That was it. That pushed her father over the edge. He spun fully around so fast that the next thing Mika knew, her nose was busted, blood pouring out her nostrils and down her face. She could taste it. "OW!" She was on the floor when she opened her eyes, never even feeling the impact of her fall.

"What have you done?" Jade whispered as she stood at the doorway. She couldn't believe what she just witnessed. Mr. West's head whipped around to see his youngest daughter with a look a disbelief and shook, tears threatening to fall.

"Jade..." Both Mika and her father said simultaneously.

The pale girl ran past her father and headed straight for Mika who was laying on the floor, blood still gushing from her nose. She leaned down, helping her sister sit up, taking a shirt that was sitting on a near by chair, placing it firmly to Mika's face. "Ow ow ow."

"Keep pressure on it." Jade sternly instructed. "It looks broken." She had to stay strong this time. Mika needed her to. But through the pain and tears that stung her eyes from the blow to her nose, Mika could see Jade's broken porcelain face, like it was actually cracked. Their eyes met, brows furrowed. "Mika..." Jade's voice stuttered.

"It's Okay. I'm okay." Mika reassured her sister, softly. She could feel the effects of the punch from her father, head pounding, nose throbbing.

Jade stood up, facing her father. Her demeanor changed instantly at the sight of him. "I have spent my whole life trying to gain some goddamn respect from you. Trying to be your little girl. But nothing worked for you! Because we weren't perfect! We didn't fit in your perfect life!" She whipped around to face the well organized desk and picked up a glass paper holder, chucking it at the book case and shattering it to pieces. Damn that felt good. "You're perfect house!" She picked up the lamp, hurling it at the liquor cabinet, watching it smash. "You're perfect image!" Finally, she cleared the rest of the desk with her arms, papers and whatnot flying in all sorts of directions. Mr. West blinked, but never once flinched.

"JJ" Mika whispered, bringing Jade out of her tirade with her chest heaving erratically. She breathed deep as she locked eyes with pleading hazel-greens. Finally, she spun around to face her father one more time.

"But you know what, I'm finished with you, this family, everything. I hate liars, cheaters. Hell, I hate most things. But most of all, I hate you. Stay away from me, stay away from Mika, and stay away from Jasper. We don't need you or your money. As far as I'm concerned, you are dead to me." She finished, stepping over to Mika, pulling her to her feet. "Now I'm pretty sure it's broken." They both winced when Jade felt Mika's nose. "Sorry. Lets get you out of here." Concern now poured from her mouth. She walked Mika past their father and to the door. Mr. West frozen where he stood, emotionless.

"I told you to stay in the car." Mika said with one arm around Jade for support while the other held the shirt up to her face to help stop the bleeding as they moved quickly through the house.

"Well...That was unlikely. How are you feeling?"

"I'm a bit dizzy."

"We're going to the hospital."

"Call Evan." Jade nodded. Tears threatened her eyes and Mika knew it. "Thank you."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Paging Dr. Riley..." Jade hated hospitals. Mainly because it smelled of pure 409 with a hint of death, everything white. She bounced her knee impatiently, hands clasped together laying in her lap as she waited for Mika to come back out from seeing the doctor in the ER, gaze aimed at nothing.

"Here. It's not much but it's something." Evan offered as he passed the small cup of coffee to the goth looking girl after sitting down.

"Thanks." Jade mumbled absentmindedly as she took the hot liquid into her hands, sipping carefully. "It's still hot."

"Yeah. What the hell happened, Jade?" Evan questioned, eyes squinted in suspicion, speculating what might have happened.

"My dad punched her." Jade mumbled. She was coming to the realization that things got way out of hand, fast. Her family was more fucked up than she first thought.

"Holy shit..." Evan dragged his hand through his black hair, then falling to his face to stroke his thick beard and finally resting it on the back of his neck.

"Yeah..." Jade shook her head, pushing down her feelings of dread.

"Are you okay?" No answer. "Jade?"

"Evan, I'm fine. Just shaken up a bit."

"Well, Mika and I are sending you home. Here." Evan commanded, handing Jade Mika's car keys. "Go get some sleep."

"No." Jade ignored his hand and stared into her coffee. "I'm not leaving."

"Go." He shook the keys, making them jingle. "Come on, you need sleep. She also said go to a friend's so you're not alone. I'll text you when we get home." No answer. "Okay, I know you're stubborn but do this for Mika. She needs to know that you're safe somewhere that's not a hospital. Now go. Kelly and I will wait for her."

"Ugh! Fine! Tell her I'm going to Tori's." Jade whined, grabbing the keys and getting up from her seat in one swift motion. "Even when she needs the care, she always finds a way to take care of me." She muttered to herself.

"Oh, and Jade?" The girl turned on her heel, annoyed look firmly in place. "Be careful." She nodded at Evan's request. She turned back to the exit heading toward that way. When the cool night air hit her, so did everything else. Anger, frustration, sorrow. She let the tears silently fall as she made her way to the Jeep. There was only one place for her right now and that was Tori's house.

* * *

_**This chapter was a bit intense to write. I hope it wasn't too dramatic and that you still like the story. :p**_

**____****Some disclaimer notes: 106.7 KROQ is a real station in LA and the DJ is real as well. I did my research. I don't own it. This is the part where a beg for reviews and comments, PMs if you got any questions. Much appreciated. :) **

**____****Have a great weekend! **

_~EJ_


	20. Family System

_**A/N: I'm baaack! It's been a long few weeks. Moving, work, life. I apologize once again for my tardiness. As promised though, Jori has returned, finally. I can't believe I have written so many chapters with no real Jori. This chapter has OCs galore as well. **_

_**Thank you so much for all the great feedback. It's why I write, for the readers. You are all my inspirations :) So thank you again. **_

_**Side note: Last chapter, I used lyrics from a song and forgot to give it credit. The lyrics were from As Tall As Lions "Love, Love, Love." **_

**_Now that that's all out of the way. Chapter 20!_**

**_Disclaimer: See ch 1 and all the other chapters I have put this on, like all of them. _**

* * *

_**Chapter 20**_

_**Family System**_

The late April breeze blew gently through the palm trees. Most of the outside lights were off, only the front porch light gave off any indication of life in the Vega residence. The streets were dead silent as the clock struck 2 am on a quiet Los Angeles night. The Vega house stood dark and lonely, but Jade knew Tori was home probably sound asleep on the couch, waiting for her, or so she hoped. Andre's car was in the driveway. Jade felt relief at that. Thinking about Tori being alone after a night like this was devastating. She hated that she had to leave her behind in the first place.

Jade sat, in the parked Jeep contemplating all that went down the night before. She stopped herself from falling apart until she could get to Tori's safely. Taking a shaky breath, she looked at her hands. They were trembling. Something was wetting them. Then realizing she was already crying, she let the rest fall. Never had she cried more in her life than this past week. All the pain, frustration, realizations, made her start to frantically laugh about the whole thing. She let it out in a long and vicious scream. Her chested heaved in and out as she attempted to catch her breath. "Get it together, West."

Her phone vibrated indicating a new text. From Beck. It wasn't the first text of the night. It was the eighth, from him alone.

**I'm worried. Call me. **Jade rolled her eyes, reading only the most recent text. He was the last person she wanted to see. Her head spun as she answered him. Things were so fucked up. Mika had a broken nose from being punched by their father, her parents were liars, Tori... Oh god, Tori. She couldn't drag her into this mess. That wasn't something to think about now.

**Now u care? Im fine. We'll tlk tomrw. **She turned off her phone and opened the car door, while grabbing her bag from the back seat. All she wanted was to fall asleep next to Tori. Locking up her sister's Jeep, she walked the path to the front door, trying the handle. Unlocked of course. She made her way into the house, closing the big door behind her. The click woke Andre up.

"Hey. Damn, finally. Where have you been? Where's Mika?" Andre asked, rubbing his eyes with fists.

"Long story. Mika's home. You can head home too if you want. I'll bring her upstairs." So she lied about Mika, not wanting to go into it just yet. Sleep was required first to explain this day.

"Okay. Night girl." Andre said, slapping his hands on his knees before pealing himself off the couch, heading for the door.

"Andre?" He turned around to face Jade once more. She dropped her bag on the floor and covered the three steps between them and threw herself into a hug. "Thank you." She whispered into his ear. He simply nodded. They pulled away and said their good nights once again. Jade turned to give her attention to the sleeping brunette, lightly snoring on the couch.

"Tori?" Jade nudged her gently. The old her, the one before she kissed Tori, wanted to scream in the young brunette's ear to wake her up. But she resisted, shaking her head at the thought. She wouldn't change completely, but she knew she had to grow up a little. "Tor...Baby?" She liked how the pet name rolled off her tongue. Usually, she hated them but with Tori, everything was different. It brought a small smile to her lips. No one really knew what a sap Jade West could really be. Only Beck. She was slowly getting used to the idea of letting Tori see it too.

"Mmm. Jade?" Tori half opened her eyes to meet...soft, green-blues. "You're back."

"I'm back. Let's go upstairs."

"Okay." Tori answered, standing up and heading for the stairs before Jade stopped her and crushed her into a much needed hug. Arms wrapped around Tori's waist tightly, head resting on her shoulder, Jade could smell the gentle vanilla scent of the brunette's shampoo fill her nose as she buried her face into brunette hair. The pale girl always loved that smell but this time, she could feel it soothing her into a world of calm. No wonder she was a sucker for the singer in front of her. Tori was the calm seas that any captain prayed for after a tumultuous storm.

Tori ended the embrace with a chaste kiss upon Jade's soft lips, making her blush. The tan girl could feel the agony in the raven beauty, but didn't push anything. Just allowing Jade to guide her up the stairs, bag in tow, to her room, closing the door behind them. Tori made her way straight for the bed, laying her slender frame down on the mattress, not bothering to change out of her clothes. "Jade? Join me. Please?" As exhausted as she was, Jade was still a bit apprehensive about sleeping in Tori's bed so soon.

"I'll just take the couch." Tori grabbed hold of Jade's arm and yanked her down to the bed. That was that. "Or here's fine too. You sure?" Jade looked into Tori's half closed eyes. The tan girl just nodded. "Okay." Jade whispered, setting her bag down once more in the proper room this time, situating herself on her back, Tori cuddling up to the dark girl's side, head on Jade's chest. Jade, put her arm around Tori's body, resting her hand on the small of brunette's back. Shivers were shared between the two sleepy girls.

"You never called me. I'm mad at you for it." Tori mumbled, cuddling up in a ball. But not before leaning up to catch Jade's lips one more time for a good night kiss, then settling back into her original position.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm here now." Jade tightened her grip on the beautiful girl snuggled up to her, placing a simple kiss on top of Tori's head. "Good night, Baby." Jade whispered as she killed the remaining light on the night stand of the bedroom and settling into the mattress for some much needed sleep. Ted was sticking out a bit from her bag, but Jade realized that tonight, she had a new cuddle buddy and the brown bear wasn't needed after all.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Evan Pascarelli?" Evan stood up at his name being called by the nurse in the waiting area. "You're here for..." She hesitated while looking at the chart for a name. "Mika, correct?" The jet black hair 20 something nodded. "You can come back and see her now. She is almost set to go home." The nurse informed him courteously. He took a gulp as he followed the nurse to Mika.

As soon as he made it to the curtain where Mika was behind, it opened in a huff and the older West girl stood in front of him with a massive amount of white bandages to hold her nose in place after being snapped back in. He winced as he took in the sight of the black and blue bruises that were already forming under both eyes and around her nose with a little bit of dry blood still evident on her chin from where the nurse missed.

"Damn. You look like you were in a fight with a brick wall." Evan suggested with his bushy eyebrows furrowed as he took a hold of Mika's chin to examine the damage more closely.

"Yeah well, I won if that's the case." Mika said bitterly. Evan put his arm around her waist to steer her through the hospital, making their way through the halls. Mika glanced at Evan's gloomy expression plastered on his face, the question lingering on his lips. "And I'm not talking about it, so don't ask." Little did she know, he was already informed.

"Fine. It can wait. I gotta call Kelly. She went to get coffee awhile ago. She's gonna kill me for leaving her. You gonna be okay?" Mika nodded at the question and took a seat in the waiting area where previously Evan, Kelly, and Jade waited awhile back. Her head was pounding, nose now throbbing even more after they popped the damn thing back into place and putting the brace over the bump. No amount of local anesthesia stopped her from feeling the pain during the realigning of her bone. She could feel a vibration in her pocket coming from her phone. She pulled it out swiftly and saw the blocked number. She sighed and returned it back to her pocket, not wanting to deal with that crap. It was too late. If you wanted to speak with Mika West, unblock your number. She laid her head back for a few seconds before hearing a particular voice, enjoying the feeling of the pain meds finally kicking in.

"Mika! Yeah, I found her...She looks fine Beth, relax...She will be home shortly...Okay, bye. Mika!" Joe Dominic, the band's manager, a thirty-something short man with typical Italian features, made his way to the injured singer, putting his cell phone back in his pocket. "Thank God you're okay." He wasn't a bad guy. Cool when he wanted to be, sometimes hip, just wore really horrible smelling cologne. He was the type of guy that tried but was always off somehow. "That bass player of yours is a trip."

"Joe, Beth is your cousin." Mika informed him with a chuckle that somehow hurt her nose even more. She winced in pain. Her head was swirling with incoherent thoughts. "Jade..."

"Who? Mika, you okay in there?" Joe asked with his chicago accent, one eyebrow cocked in a question. Mika moved to get up while staring at her manager like he had just insulted her.

"Whoa, relax there." Evan had returned with Kelly in toe, putting his hand on Mika's shoulder to stop her from standing up too quickly. Confusion lingered on Mika's face, still not being able to comprehend what was occurring around her. Evan held her by the shoulders. "I'm gonna pick up your prescriptions and everything. You've signed out. Now it's time to get home. Okay? It's pushing four. Joe, take her and Kelly home?" Evan looked at Joe pointedly. The whole night was weighing down on him and he still wasn't sure how this whole mess began.

"Sure thing." Before Mika could protest, she was being whisked away by the blond drummer and their manager. Once the group made it to the car, Mika crawled into the back seat, Kelly following behind.

"Come here. Put your head in my lap." Mika did what Kelly ordered her to do and got as comfortable as she could.

"Kelly? I'm sorry that we haven't spent a lot of time together lately." Mika's words were slurred from the pain meds given to her in the hospital. Even with the medication running through her, she still couldn't quite shrug off the painful memories of what had transpired between her and her father. Then, Jade crossed her foggy mind again. "Is Jade okay?"

"It's all okay, and yes. She listened to Evan and went to someone named Tori's house. Now close your eyes for me." Kelly commanded, stroking the brunette covered head of Mika's. Kelly's fingers felt warm as her nails softly scratched Mika's scalp soothingly.

"Okay..." Mika turned her head into Kelly's abdomen and drifted off into a nice drugged up slumber. The last thing that passed through Mika's mind was her family, parents, and how Jasper would manage to grow up into a normal contributing member of society.

"Alright Joe. We are all set."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Margo West was a mess. How could she fail so badly as a mother? She should know everything that went on in her children's lives. At some point in her life, she fell off the boat. Ever since Jasper came along, she couldn't find the time for her daughters anymore. Memories poured into her mind from when they were young, Jade lagging behind Mika wanting to hang with her big sister. Normally, older sisters didn't enjoy the whole tag along thing. But, Mika embraced the role perfectly. Margo was always proud of her daughter for that. She knew Mika would always watch out for Jade. Somehow, she was the one who dropped the ball, failed the two girls and tonight, she was called out on it.

She remembered receiving the announcement for Mika's graduation years ago. Margo wanted so desperately to go and see her daughter walk and graduate from a prestige art school. The problem was her ex husband. Even though they were divorced, Todd never failed to still be the intimidating, abusive man he had grown to become. She let him ruin their family, destroy the one thing that should have been the safe place for their kids.

She picked up the home phone lying on her desk, punching in the familiar number of her daughter's cell phone. It rang the usual number of rings before it went to voicemail. Margo knew her daughter wouldn't pick up, but she tried for what seemed to be the millionth time. The beep sounded and for the first time since she let her bastard of a husband kick Mika out, she began to record her message.

"It's your mother, Mika. Um... I've been the one calling you from a blocked number all these years. I know I'm at fault but, since you found the courage to stand up to me, I'll be brave enough to tell you...I love you and...I'm sorry." Her voice wavered, filled with passion and emotion. Very unlike herself. Before she could press the end button, a loud sob sneaked passed her lips. She pulled herself together quickly to the calm and controlled Margo West she grew into.

After finishing her fourth drink of the night, Margo made her way upstairs to her spacious yet lonely room. On the bed, a note written in her younger daughter's hand writing could be found. Margo narrowed her eyebrows in suspicion, wondering when Jade found the time to sneak into the house and write this. Before she read it, the 40 something year old woman rushed to Jade's room in hopes of finding the girl. She poked her head in but saw no one in the room. Her heart sank and she took a gulp as her attention made its way to the note in her hand.

* * *

_**There you have it. I hope you liked it. Of course review please! Chapter 21 will be up as soon as I get enough future chapters written for my comfort. Until then... :)**_

**_~EJ_**


	21. When Dreaming Gets Drastic

_**A/N: I know...I'm sorry this is so late, beyond late really. No excuses. Explaining to you guys why it's been so long is like trying to explain to a teacher why my project is late back in high school. Not gonna fly. lol Thank you for all the reviews and alerts. It still makes me feel great about this story.**_

_**As for the show ending, it won't change me writing more Jori in the future, but I'm still bummed out about it. I will just have to double my writing to make up for it. lol**_

_**You've waited long enough.**_

_**Disclaimer: See chapter 1**_

* * *

_**Chapter 21**_

_**When Dreaming Gets Drastic**_

The smell of bacon, eggs, pancakes and other amazing aromas invaded Tori as she slowly woke up. She was confused about who could be making breakfast in her kitchen. It couldn't be Trina. That girl didn't know how to do anything for herself. Plus, she wasn't even home. Still half asleep, the younger Vega hoped that it was someone she knew like a friend and not some deranged lunatic. But the heavy weight over the small of her back was more confusing. She turned her head from where her face was buried in her pillow to catch sight of the beautiful pale skin that belonged to Jade. Tori readjusted her body, a wide smile forming on her lips. As she did so, Jade's arm that was still wrapped around Tori tightened protectively. This made Tori's smile grow even wider.

As she snuggled more into the peaceful raven beauty, Tori was knocked out of her little world by a crash coming from downstairs, reminding her that an unknown person was in her kitchen. Worry flooded her face, while removing Jade's arm from around her, slipping out of bed, and tripping over Jade's black duffle bag. When she looked down at the contents that spilled out, she noticed a teddy bear. Tori chuckled at the thought of Jade, with a stuff animal. Jade. She decided to pick it up and cuddle it under Jade's empty, pale arm. And as Tori thought, Jade took to it like she was five years old again. The look of joy on Tori's face fell as she remembered everything that happened last night. She'd just have to wait until Jade woke up to learn the rest of the night's events. With a kiss to Jade's cheek, Tori made her way out of the room and down the stairs, cautiously tip-toeing down each step.

As soon as she saw the back of a newly familiar figure standing at the island of the kitchen with a bowl in hand, she stopped at the third step from the bottom, taking in the scene. Tori's eyes squinted with the question as to why Mika was cooking breakfast in her kitchen, rolling around in her head. Her attention was caught by the sound of a male voice coming from the couch, neither occupant noticing her presence yet. Tori scratched her head in bewilderment. What the hell was going on? She checked the clock on the kitchen wall, reading 10:00 am.

"Why do you insist on pushing yourself like this? You've had four hours of sleep. You gotta slow down." The low voice from the couch addressed Mika. Still taking in the scene like it were a movie, Tori stayed where she was on the stairs, arms crossed, eyebrows crunched inward.

"Because I'm over compensating for all the mornings I missed cooking breakfast for her, Okay? Is that what you want to hear Evan?" Mika answered. Tori's confusion grew when she heard a much more nasally voice from the chef in the kitchen. Shrugging that off, her attention focused back on the guy on her couch, again. 'So that's Evan.' The thought finished up her inner dialogue before Mika spun around, revealing her injury from the night before.

"Oh my God! Mika, what the hell happened!?" Tori exclaimed unexpectedly bringing her hand straight up to cover her mouth in shock, making both Mika and Evan jump by the sudden outburst. The sight of the singer's broken nose fully woke Tori up.

"Yeah...Tori, hey.! Ummm...Have you met Evan?" Mika asked gesturing toward the couch, attempting to change the subject and Tori's stare from her nose as well as what went on last night.

"I wouldn't even brother with her kid. She won't talk to me about it either." Evan told Tori, looking at his phone the entire time until he finished. "You must be Tori. Thanks for letting us use your kitchen unexpectedly. Mika just had to insist."

"Can you put chocolate chips in a batch of pancakes Mika? Please?" Just then, Kelly walked out of the bathroom downstairs. "Oh, hi!" She looked up at Tori with a brilliant smile. "Tori, right?" Tori stood there incredulously at the sight, annoyance growing with every new person that showed up in her house randomly.

"Okay, who are you now?" Tori was losing her cool little by little.

"Kelly, leave her alone." Mika shouted from the kitchen. Kelly just gave Mika narrowed eyes, making her way to the couch.

"Sorry, we all barged into your house and all. Like I said, Mika's idea. We're just here for the food. Your parents home?" Evan inquired

"Uhh...No. Wait, how did you get in?" Tori was still planted on the stairs, bewildered.

"Mika can explain that. Can I light up?" Evan asked, holding up a joint and lighter.

"My dad's a cop..." Tori answered automatically.

"Got it...That's a no. How about a simple cigarette?" Evan tried again wiggling his eyebrows. Tori gestured to the back porch. Before she could open her mouth with instructions, Evan butted in. "I'll take a plastic cup for the ashes 'Mom' don't worry. Come on Kelly." With that, Kelly and Evan shut the french door to the back porch. Tori finally made her way to the kitchen table and took a seat with a sigh. That was...interesting.

"Don't mind him. He's usually not that rude, just tired. Long night. And as for Kelly, well actually they both jumped in my car when they heard the word 'breakfast'." Mika commented, flipping a pancake in the pan.

"So? Are you gonna answer any of my questions?" Tori asked impatiently.

"Uhh...Which one?" Mika countered, busying herself more with the cooking, hoping Tori would drop the subject with enough beating around the bush.

"Mika... seriously?" Tori's was about to rip the older girl's head off, she didn't care whose sister she was. Mika one the other hand just sighed.

"Okay. I jimmied the lock."

"A dead bolt?"

"I never said I was a saint, now did I?" Tori rolled her eyes. She was exhausted and felt like today would be longer than yesterday. It was almost next to impossible to get any information from either West, stubborn as hell. At least it was saturday.

"So, how did it go last night?"

"As well as I could have expected...I don't know. Fine, I guess. How is Jade?"

"Last I remember, she was guiding me up the stairs to bed. I fell asleep on the couch waiting for you guys." Tori answered. Worry etched Mika's features. "She was asleep when I woke up."

Tori's heart ached, remembering all the pain from the day before with Jade. She worried about the pale girl currently laying in her bed, hopefully sleeping peacefully. Waking up entangled with Jade was an amazing feeling that couldn't be duplicated by anything else. A silly smile formed on the tan girl's delicate facial features despite her previous worries.

Mika turned to face the brunette, seeing the dreamy look plastered on Tori's face. Mika figured the girl was thinking about Jade. It was cute and for a split second, she forgot about all the problems that surrounded their little club. All the problems she felt she dragged into the two teenagers' lives. Maybe she should just bolt and forget everything. It wasn't fair to complicate their lives. Too late, really. Both girls were thrown from their thoughts by a horrific scream coming from upstairs. Both heads swung to face the entryway upstairs.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

_Bang! _

_Jade heard a crack but didn't dare to believe it was what her brain processed it to be. The dark night made it impossible to see anything. The only source of light, a single street lamp, spewed the illumination on a lone figure. Nothing else could be seen. It was like a spotlight on a black stage. Jade was only feet away from the person, but still couldn't figure out what was transpiring right before her. She couldn't recognize the being under the light, the face being blacked out by shadows. _

"_Jade?" She panicked upon hearing her name. The voice was weak. Lifeless. She knew exactly who it was. All the color drained from her face, putting the pieces together of the situation as she frantically made her way, running to the figure._

"_Mika!" As soon as Jade made it to her sister's side, Mika collapsed to the ground, holding her abdomen. Jade dropped to her knees, examining the reason for Mika's fall. "Oh my God...You've been shot." Jade's whimper broke Mika's heart. Jade hesitated before placing her hands on the gunshot wound to attempt to stop the bleeding. "Just hold on Mikey, please! I need you!" Jade could feel hot tears staining her face. She didn't even know when she started crying. _

_Mika winced in pain with the pressure of Jade's hands pressing onto the bleeding wound. Panic rose throughout Jade's body while she struggled to stop the bleeding. _

"_JJ...Don't worry...about me." Mika managed to squeak out, face contorted in pain. "Turn around!" Mika shrieked at Jade with the last of her strength. Her body fell still, Jade whipping her head around to see a man in the shadows, gun in one hand aimed at her, his other arm wrapped around Tori's neck from behind, hostage style, both facing the pale girl. _

"_Tori!" The younger West stood straight up at the sight, knowing somewhere in her mind that her sister was gone and now, she had to save the rest of her heart, Tori. Brave face intact, she dared a step forward. _

"_I will not be disrespected Jade. You know what happens when you act like this. Look at what happened to poor Mika." The gunman's menacing voice cut through the dark girl to the bone. She swallowed. The man was only trying to distract her. She locked eyes with Tori. The intensity was impossibly strong. Tori's face of pure horror, Jade's of absolute panic but determination. Everything they never got to say to each other, the 'I love yous', 'you're beautifuls', the intimate moments that they may never share, future years of commitment, devotion were all said with one look. Instead of their pasts flashing before their eyes, it was their possible future together. _

"_Let her go." A shaky, yet strong plea slipped pasted Jade's lips. _

"_She isn't going to live through this Jade and you know it." He answered. A whimper was heard from both girls at this. _

"_She has nothing to do with this. It's just you and me." _

"_Yeah, but it's much more fun this way, don't you think Jade? You're the reason this girl here is going to die tonight." He stepped out of the shadow to reveal his identity. Before Jade could respond...Bang!_

"_Jade? Jade!? _Jade! Wake up."

"NO!" Jade shot up like a bullet out of a gun. The first thing her fear-filled eyes adjusted to were Tori's chocolate browns, full of life, love, worry. "Tori..." She whispered, throwing her arms around the tan love from her dream and buried her tear stained face into brunette hair, inhaling the intoxicating scent of the shampoo that always seemed to have the power to calm her. Reality hit her which brought the felling of relief that it was just a true nightmare.

"I'm here. You're safe." Tori cooed gently hoping to bring the girl in her arms to a normal breathing pattern instead of the chest heaving state. Tori looked back at her open door to see Mika standing there, nodding to let the tan girl know that she understood that right now, Jade needed Tori. Mika exited quietly and shut the door.

Tori didn't know what to think after all the things that happened this morning. How could a whole day be ruined in literally 20 minutes of being awake? Jade clung to Tori's body and she had no clue why. Sure, of course it was a nightmare but, what the hell happened in it? What could possibly make one of the toughest people she knew react like this? Tori could feel empathy roll through, washing over her own body while tears stung her eyes.

"Tori." Jade whispered into the brunette's ear, her grasp around the singer's neck tightening.

"It's okay. I'm right here. You're okay." Tori reassured and soothed the poor girl desperately clinging to her, rubbing her back gently. It seemed to calm the raven beauty. "What happened?" She pulled back, forcing Jade to look at her. All Jade could do was shake her head, protesting any answer to leave her mouth. Tori put her hand on Jade's knee who was now siding cross legged on the bed.

"You don't need to know." Jade mumbled, throwing her hand through her hair in frustration and the inevitable argument Tori will start. It wasn't that Jade didn't trust Tori or want her to know, it wasn't Tori's problem to deal with. Another side effect of being a West.

"Jade...don't shut me out." Tori replied with a hint of agitation in her voice. She removed her hand from Jade's knee and rubbed her face showing her frustration, which didn't go unnoticed by the girl being question.

"Tori, it's not a big deal. I'll handle it."

"You shouldn't have to handle it alone."

"I'm used to it."

"But it's not necessary this time. I'm here."

"Jesus, Vega. Just drop it already."

"All I wanna do is help, Jade."

"Well, you can't, okay! You can't fix everything, Vega and you certainly can't fix this!"

"Let me in Jade." Tori placed her hand on Jade's knee once more. But the pale girl shrugged it off and turned her back to Tori. "Listen Jade, I care about you. And I don't wanna see you hurting."

"Just leave me alone! You're worse than my therapist. At least she knows when to quit." Jade gave up and shut herself down. It was all she knew to do when times got hard.

"Fine. Give me attitude Jade. God knows I'm used to it. I'll be downstairs if you need anything. Which you probably won't." Tori mumbled that last part under her breath, making her way to the door, but Jade caught the snip at the end of Tori's words. Why did she insist on breaking her own heart and pushing people away? It was so difficult to let someone in when you were raised by cold and calculated parents.

"I need you..." Jade confessed with a heavy heart. She sighed in defeat, secretly hoping that Tori would stay and keep pushing her to talk about her issues. Tori felt the atmosphere instantly change from cold and distance to warm and understanding. Turning on her heal from the doorway, she made her way back to the broken girl sitting on the bed.

"I'm open and listening. That's why I'm prying. It's because I care about you Jade." Tori reiterated her earlier words.

"That's why I won't tell you. I can't drag you into this mess knowing that it will just end with me hurting you. You matter too much for me to let you fall into this." Jade began her explanation.

"I'm already in it." Tori calmly reassured Jade. When she looks back on where all her prying had gotten the two teens, Tori never regretted any of it. She didn't know why she wanted to know everything about the dark girl up until a little bit ago. The subconscious is funny like that. It's like it foreshadows your own feelings and actions.

Jade turned to face Tori with tear filled eyes, making her eyes bluer than usual. It was something Tori loved to watch, Jade's eyes changing with her emotions. The concerned girl had never seen Jade so vulnerable, so broken, not even in the past week where she cried hysterically in her arms. It crushed Tori's heart and constrained her throat, forcing out a sob she didn't know she was holding back.

"I'm falling apart and I don't know what to do. It's never been this bad. I can't even...I can't even escape it when I'm asleep."

"Jade..."

"I had a nightmare. A real one. There was this bang...Mika fell to the ground, then the gunman, he had you..."

"Oh my God..."

"He shot you..."

"Did you recognize him?" Jade nodded slowly with sad eyes. "Who was it?"

"My father."

* * *

_**Thank you for all the patience you guys have had due to my insistence in making you wait so long. You are the best! I promise you won't have to wait as long for the next chapter. **_

_**As you all already know, you're next move is to review, again and again and again. lol Thanks guys! **_

_**~EJ**_


	22. helplessness Blues

**_A/N: Wow. 22 chapters, 250+ reviews, numerous faves and alerts. It feels great to know so many people enjoy my writing and this story, also have the patience lol. Thank you everyone. _**

**_P.S. The absence of Tori's parents in this story is due to the fact that the show rarely shows them. lol I'm playing off that. _**

**_Enough of me, here's the next chapter, so enjoy!_**

**_Disclaimer: See ch 1_**

* * *

_**Chapter 22**_

_**Helplessness Blues**_

"Did you want any breakfast?"

"Not yet. I just wanna lay here with you."

Tori's arms were wrapped around a pitiful looking Jade. Both girls laid on their side, facing each other, Jade cuddled into the comforting brunette, on the bed. They hadn't talked much about anything really, just the dream. All Jade needed was the presence of Tori here to calm her. Didn't need words, talk about feelings and emotions. She needed some peace. Tori was the perfect girl to read the transparent Jade.

The silence was soothing before Tori asked about eating. Jade was already on the verge of tears, again. She swore, all this girly shit was pissing her off. Tori felt a tear on her collar bone, where Jade's head lay. Her heart ached for all the pain the dark girl was going through. What the hell happened last night?

"Honey, please talk to me. It might help you feel better." Tori desperately asked risking the pet name, rubbing her hand up and down Jade's arm in comfort. Jade didn't reply, just kept crying. "Jade-"

"How? How can a mother just be able to let a man kick out their own child? Make Mika feel like she wasn't wanted or loved for so long just because she's gay?" Jade had snapped at no one in particular but that didn't stop Tori from wincing. Jade hugged Tori tighter to stop from breaking again. The brunette lifted Jade's chin up so their eyes could meet, the question in brown orbs. Jade sighed. "We went home to confront my mother. She was shocked to say the least to see Mika." She paused to think back on the memory. "I have never seen my mom look so...defeated...broken."

"Well, maybe she feels awful that she let everything happen." Jade scoffed at Tori taking her mother's side. "I'm not taking sides Jade. I've seen the pain this whole thing has caused you, but maybe one day, you can forgive her. She seems really remorseful from what you've told me." While Tori's words sunk in, Jade rolled her teary eyes at the sense the pretty girl holding her was speaking. Jade's deep breath told Tori that the pale girl was contemplating her next set of words.

"I guess, I could...talk to her again. But I'm not good with forgiveness. I hold grudges and don't let shit go. Ask anyone. Ask yourself. How am I supposed to trust any of my family again? I'm still iffy with Mika." Tori searched Jade's still blue eyes for something like realization, that this was different. Forgiveness in this case meant Jade could move on from an ordeal that had lasted 5 years. Letting go of pain from the absence of Mika. Moving on and catching up on time lost. Tori gave a look of compassionate understanding, knowing that this old wound was just freshly reopened.

"You have what it takes to move on from this. I know it. Look at us." Tori's words hit hard. In fact, everything Tori said made it to Jade's heart. She knew the surprisingly wise girl was right. It was time to let sleeping dogs lie, at least with the other two West women in her life. And plus, Jasper shouldn't suffer for his fucked up family. She actually wanted to be his big sister, like Mika was to her. But how can someone that wouldn't let any grudge go, forgive so easily?

"Okay...And thanks, I guess." Jade mumbled, burying her face in Tori's neck, tickling the sun-kissed skin beneath her.

"Hey, look at me." Tori commanded. To anyone's surprise, Jade complied. The younger Vega took Jade's chin with her hand and guided the plump lips that belonged to the pale girl up to her own. With the girls just inches away from a kiss, all words fell from Tori's memory. Both stared into each other's eyes, finding what they needed; reassurance. Breathing getting heavy, air becoming thick. Jade couldn't take it anymore and closed the short gap quickly. Everything melted away as their lips moved in sync, slowly, cautiously. Jade's hands found their way to the soft, tan skin of Tori's cheeks. The warmth burned the dark singer to her core.

There was something in Jade that ignited the second her lips met Tori's. This need, hunger, that was different; new. She needed to feel the other girl with her desperate and lonely hands. Her left hand moved its way to Tori's hip. Everything that built up in the damaged girl came to the surface in this one kiss. All the anguish, hate, hurt, passion, determination. The release was so incredible, she couldn't believe the feelings that were raging inside of her. She put so much into this, the next thing she realized, she was straddling Tori on the bed, knees on either side. Pulling away, Jade, looked intensely into Tori's eyes, once more. Wonderment is what she saw. Understanding and the purity poured from brown eyes. The brunette's hands were loosely placed on the curvy hips of Jade. In the two, three days that the girls have been doing this...this kissing, feelings thing, this was the farthest they got. But Tori never felt more comfortable with someone else on her bed, in this way.

An intense surge of energy flew through both girls as Jade dove back to capture the lips that made her fly. It was like being struck by lightning. Their kissing progressed to something deeper, more passionate as Jade swept her tongue along the bottom lip belonging to Tori, eliciting a soft moan from the Vega girl, which managed to cover the overwhelmingly quite room. Tori instinctively moved from Jade's hips, wrapping her arms around her neck instead, burying her slender fingers deep into the raven-hair that caught Tori's eye every time she saw Jade. At the feeling of her hair being tugged ever so lightly, Jade reluctantly let a whimper sneak passed her lips, not wanting Tori to know just how affected she really was by the brunette's actions.

Tori's fascination with long hair came from the fact that Jade was the first person she ever made out with that had long hair. It was new. That's probably because Jade was the first girl as well. The world was full of labels but the important part, to Tori, was never to put a label on love. If she could lose herself in someone, completely forget the world, that was love or so Tori always imagined that to be love. And even after all the drama and teasing from the girl kissing her senseless, that's exactly what she was doing with Jade; forgetting the world, and perhaps even falling in... Her thoughts were broken when Jade bit ever so slightly on Tori's bottom lip, creating sighs from both girls.

They fell into a rhythm quickly, making it easier to go further than intended. When Jade slid her right hand to massage Tori's tan abdomen under her tank top, the spell known as Jade was broken, throwing the half Latina back to reality. And as sudden as thunder clapping, a thought popped into Tori's mind. They couldn't just go to second base while ignoring the chaos around them.

"Jade..." Tori struggled to say against the kiss. "Jade...wait." With both girls struggling to put air into their lungs, Tori slightly pushed away a frustrated Jade to create space. "Should we be doing this right now? I mean, with everything that-"

"Tori," Jade sighed out, throwing her hand through her hair, leaning on the other to support her weight over the brunette underneath her. "I just wanna be able to get my mind off of all this crap for a little while and kiss the girl that makes that happen." Jade took a deep breath, knowing that sharing her feelings was dangerous. "You take all my worries away. So, please can we just-" Jade was cut off by lips colliding with her own, silencing her for good. The pale girl let out a sigh of content and relief. All Tori wanted to do was to erase the pain that this beauty who was hovering over her, kissing her into oblivion, harbored.

"I could never say 'no' to you..."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Okay...yeah, I got it, Joe. We'll be ready...Alright...I'll tell her." Evan hung up his cell, finishing up his call with the band's manager. "Hey Mika, Joe is sending a car for us in ten. We got a couple interviews before soundcheck so we gotta move." Mika was too busy slouched on the couch, biting her nails. Her nerves about Jade increased tremendously with the thought of not being able to see Jade before she had to go.

"But, I have to see Jade before we go! I can't just leave." Mika pleaded with puppy eyes.

"Mika..." Evan sighed and took a seat next to his best friend. "I know that it's important to you. It's important for me to see you guys finally bury everything too. I know you need to know exactly where you stand after this whole mess. But this is your job. You need to be there. Just leave the tickets on the table with a note. She'll understand." Mika shook her head in defeat. Evan always knew how important it was for Mika to get her relationship back with her sister, but only now did he realize how much of Mika hinged on all of this. It was a make-or-break thing. Either Jade forgave Mika completely and they would mend this, or Mika would fall apart and never be put back together. There was always a chance Jade could just say 'screw it all'. "Hey, it will be okay. I promise." Mika nodded at Evan's reassurance.

"Alright. Let's get ready to go then. Where is Kelly?"

"In the back, I think."

"Will you go get her please? I don't wanna deal with her. Plus, I gotta put the food away." Mika got up and headed to the kitchen while Evan made his way to the backyard. Rummaging through the cabinets to find to containers for the leftovers, her phone buzzed. A text from Joe letting her know that the car had left to pick up the three of them. She sighed and exited the text screen, her eye catching the symbol for a new voicemail in the top corner of her phone. With scrunched eyebrows, Mika's hazel eyes focused on the screen blankly, wondering who had actually left a voicemail on her phone. People who left messages were the ones that should be calling her manager.

She called her voicemail, entered to pass-code, and waited the few seconds before she heard her mother's strained voice. The color drained from Mika's face and her heart ached at the words she heard. A breath of shock left her mouth at the three words her mother had spoken...remembering the last time she heard them come out of the woman's mouth.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"_You have one hour to get your things and get out before your sister comes home. I don't want to see you here again." Mr. West ordered from Mika's doorway of her, now former, bedroom. It had been a couple days since she was initially kicked out of the house. Her deal with her parents was worked out with no say from Mika. She really had no choice but to take it. She scanned the room, wondering what she really wanted to take from the room that housed her for so many years, sheltered her after so many fights with her parents, bad memories. Rubbing her face with her hands, Mika grabbed a couple bags from her closet and started to toss whatever clothes she could fit. At the sight, Mr. West left his disowned __eldest daughter to finish up leaving their lives for good. _

_Truth was, she didn't want to take an hour to pack; she wanted to leave now. Fuck anything her parents bought her. The atmosphere in the house was never thicker. Her secret fear of her father was never higher. Forcing any tears or sobs back down, Mika grabbed her guitar, placing it next to the now two clothes-filled duffle bags. She stopped at her desk, looking at the pictures of her with Evan, girlfriend, Erin...Jade and baby Jasper. She hung her head as the tear slid down her face. Before it could fall from her chin, Mika swiftly wiped it away, grabbing all the framed photos and placing them in the backpack before zipping it up. A knock at the door threw Mika from her self-pity._

"_What do you want?" Mika asked bitterly, after lifting her head to see who it was. _

"_Just that I-" Mrs. West started before being interrupted. She was definitely used to it, so she shut her mouth. She stood there in defeat, hugging a little Jasper that sat in her arms, a little tighter. _

"_And another thing! If Jade tries to come find you, ignore her! I don't want you anywhere near her again to influence her in any way. Got it?" Mr. West barked. Mika simply nodded without turning around to acknowledge his presence._

"_Todd, aren't you being a bit-" _

"_A bit what, Margo? Do you want BOTH your daughters to be like this?!"_

"_But she is our-"_

"_Just stop Margo. I'm tired of your indecisiveness." With that, Mr. West left the two West women in silence. _

"_Mika, I-" Mrs. West chocked out._

"_Save it, Mom. I'm too tired to deal with this or put up a fight. I'm done. I'll do what he wants. It's safer that way, for all of our sakes." Mika mumbled, defeatedly. Mrs. West stood there in shock, never hearing her daughter admit defeat, especially with her father. _

"_Mika, I'm scared," Mika's mother began. "for us all." Mika turned around to face her mother. She looked at Jasper who was half asleep. Bleak hope washed over her, thinking maybe he'll get off easier when he grew up. She rolled her eyes at that thought._

"_I can't protect you from him anymore, Mom. I can't protect, Jasper and I certainly can't protect Jade." Mike confessed with a loud sob to follow. "You need to be the other adult for once." She added, grabbing her bags, backpack and guitar from her bed. "I will watch over Jade though. Don't say anything to him. You didn't stop him from kicking me out, but do this one thing for your daughters. I gotta go." Mika kissed Jasper's temple before brushing passed her mother, ready to flea._

"_Mika..." At the mention of her name, the 17 year old turned around. "I still love you." Mrs. West whispered. Mika simply shook her head and made her way down the stairs and out of her parents' lives. Mrs. West fell to the bed, shifted the little boy to one leg, grabbing her daughter's pillow with her now free hand. She inhaled the scent, and cried. She cried for herself, Jade, Jasper, and Mika...But she would have to bury it all, maybe forever._

* * *

_**Hope you enjoyed the Jori action. I'm fickle with those scenes, it takes me forever to prefect it. In fact, that goes fr the whole story. lol So, next step, please review, review, review! Thanks guys! Have a great weekend!**  
_

**_~EJ_**


	23. Don't Let Me Down

_******A/N: Now, before you go all pitch forks and torches on me, I'm sorry. I have no excuse. I hope everyone is still into this story. Please, forgive me. Adulthood is harder than I first thought. Anyway, enough of this rambling. **_

_**Disclaimer: Victorious is still not mine. If it were, we'd be watching a whole different show and I wouldn't be discouraged to write like I am every new episode I watch. lol**_

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

_**Chapter 23**_

_**Don't Let Me Down**_

"Let's go kid. The car is waiting outside." Evan order Mika with Kelly by his side, walking out the door. The lead singer shook herself from her thoughts and memories. Reluctantly, she got to her feet and finished with her tasks quickly of putting away the food. Grabbing her stuff, she left the tickets and note for the girls on the counter.

Pausing for a second, Mika reflected on what her mother vocalized in her message. It was going to be a long day. With one last sigh, she walked to the door and opened it up to be greeted by two very jittery looking teenage boys.

Mika rolled her eyes, knowing one of the kids and also knowing why he looked so sketch. She smirked, liking the fact that the reason was probably because he was afraid of her. Their eyes met a recognition.

"Beck...right?" Mika asked slowly as her smirk grew at the sight of the other boy with a mop for hair and thick rimmed glasses. Beck gulped but stayed strong faced in front of the woman he never knew existed as Jade's sister until a couple days ago. He nodded to answer the question directed at him. "And this is...?" Mika went on, pointing at the other kid.

"Um...Ro-Robbie." The awkward boy stumbled over his introduction. He couldn't quite look Mika in the eye due to the gaze from the former Hollywood Arts student. The same intense gaze a certain bad girl gave him every time he opened his mouth or Rex decided to insult anyone in the group, especially Tori. He screeched when Mika placed the infamous West smirk and eyebrow raise that was all too familiar. An odd discoloring of the boy's pants wiped the smirk off Mika's face and replaced with a confused, slightly disgusted look.

"Did you just...did you just pee your pants?" Mika asked incredulously. Robbie just nodded, asked to use the Vega bathroom and rushed in that direction, past Mika, leaving her with a very impatient looking Beck. "Can I help you?" She asked with an arched eyebrow still intact, turning her attention to the olive skinned teenager.

"What are you doing here?" Beck countered with a clenched jaw. He was already sick of this woman in front of him.

"Just visiting a friend." Mika's answer was a classic West response, hands on her hips, smirk back in place.

"How do you know Tori?" Narrowed brown eyes failed to intimidate the musician in the presence of Beck.

"She is the friend I'm visiting." The smirk only angered the boy more.

"Well, is Tori here?" The way Mika reminded him of Jade sent shivers down his spine. It was uncanny; the attitude, stance, smirk, all screamed his ex-girlfriend and he didn't like it, not one bit of this conversation sat well with him.

"Upstairs, in her room." Mika said, standing like a stone statue, her eyes never leaving Beck's.

"Thanks." Beck waited for Mika to give him room to step into the house. "Are you going to let me in?" The rest of the boy's patience was far gone and now he was running on fumes.

"Oh, now? Sure. Go on up..." Mika stepped aside to grant Beck's request. The older West watched as her sister's ex made his way up the stairs and around the corner, knowing what he'd probably find when he finally made his way to the bedroom. A chuckle left her mouth, sending a sharp pain through her injured nose. "Damn Karma." She mumbled but still felt no sympathy for the kid, not being his biggest fan in the least. "Knock first!" She had to at least give the girls a heads up. Evan's voice cut through her thoughts, reminding her that she had places to be. Out the open door she went, closing it behind her.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Beck wasn't a bad guy, just suffering from a bruised ego. So when a chuckle escaped seeing Mika's broken nose, he still felt a bit guilty. Granted, he didn't like the girl at all, but he thought no one really deserved a broken nose. He deliberately made the walk down the hall as long as possible. He was the type of guy who had to think everything through before going on with a plan.

His thoughts consumed him. The whole week was chaos from Monday morning on. Confusion clouded his head, finding out about Mika, Jade not wanting him back. To be honest, he thought Jade turned him down because she was just playing hard to get like always. She was the same old Jade. His motives when he kissed her at school were from loneliness. He missed her. The reason he was here was because Tori seemed to be in the middle of this Hurricane West blowing through town. Maybe she could answer his questions since Jade was no longer an option. He sunk that ship long ago. Like she would open up to him again. He needed a plan. He needed help.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Jade..." Tori whispered breathlessly. The sensations coursing through her veins were killing her. Jade's lips left the tan skinned neck, making her way up Tori's jaw, connecting once more with swollen lips. Hands snaked underneath Jade's black tank top, sending shivers down her spine, forcing her head down to rest on Tori's shoulder in an attempt to gain her composure. That was a failed try as nails raked the small of her back, making ragged breaths escape the pale girl.

Tori took advantage of Jade's weakness to flip them over and take control of their compromising position. Straddling the dark teen underneath her, Tori panicked inside. She had never been in a situation like this, never felt like this with anyone. Sure, she made out with Danny, her longest relationship, but she was younger then. Kissing was enough for her 13, 14 year old self. But, she had never been kissed senseless, down her jaw, neck, across her chest; never felt such desperation for more of Jade. She had never gone this far, let alone be the dominant one, especially with someone like the beauty beneath her.

Jade was impressed by the bold move from the Latina. Even though she wasn't the biggest fan of being the submissive one, she had no complaints if the person straddling her was Tori. She longed for this moment for a while. With her breath shallow, she waited for Tori to make her next move, but it never came. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. What was she waiting for? Was Tori regretting doing this? Was she regretting doing this with her? Jade started to do something she rarely did; she panicked as well. Tori was frozen in place, not even blinking once.

"Tori?" Jade cautiously called out, pushing up so she was leaning on her elbows, sending the girl straddling her to a sitting position on black jean clad thighs. She let out a deep sigh of frustration, thinking she did something wrong, again. "Hey." Jade put all her weight on one arm, moving the other to cradle Tori's face. That seemed to pull the brunette out of her reverie. With her voice getting shaky with every word Jade spoke quickly, hoping to hide her fear. "Baby, what's wrong?" Instinctively, Jade scolded herself for letting the pet name slip. All this weakness was foreign to her. But she knew that if she wanted a shot with the girl in front of her, she would have to suck it up.

Tori's heart skipped a beat. Jade calling her baby stirred up a feeling the Latina had never felt. The butterflies in her stomach had turned into hummingbirds, flapping wildly whenever Jade looked at her with those blue-green beauties. Concern is what she saw. Something Jade never let anyone see, until now. It gave Tori a push to speak.

"I've just, never been this...intimate with someone else and I have no idea what I'm doing. I mean, what if I screw up and embarrass myself and you laugh at me?" Tori rushed in one breath, face turning a rosy pink in a blush.

"That's stupid, Tori." Jade rolled her eyes at the thought, removing her hand from Tori's cheek to balance her weight evenly on her elbows.

"Is it?"

"Yes. It's a ridiculous thought."

"This is why I was afraid to tell you. It's how I feel Jade. You can't just dismiss it."

"That's not what-"

"How am I suppose to feel safe when you think how I feel is stupid?"

"Tori, I don't think your feelings are stupid-"

"You use to..." Tori mumbled with her chin down, eyes closed to block the sure to fall tears. That rendered Jade speechless. Her bad attitude biting her in the worst way. The regret of her past behavior toward Tori was rising in her and melting that hard exterior even further. Fear is what made Jade so...jaded. Loving someone and everything falling to shit. Expecting that person to be there only to leave her in the dust and never look back. The possibility of being shunned and abandoned. It was just easier to hide, to fake it. "You wanna know something?"

"What?" Jade asked defeatedly. She knew this talk -about their bad blood she created- would come up. She let her body fall back on the mattress, closing blue-green eyes, preparing herself for the words from Tori that she didn't want to hear but knew she had to.

Tori took the opportunity to study Jade's face, starting at her clenched jaw to her pursed lips, up to her nose, both cheeks, the crease in her forehead and settling on closed eye lids. She was beautiful even when tense. Just the fact that Jade was affected by the thought of this conversation put Tori in a new mood. She was confident for once with Jade, at least long enough to get her thoughts out.

"All I ever wanted was for you to notice me differently. Care about me, even. And when you looked at me that way in the car on the San Diego trip-" Jade scoffed at the memory of that trip. Tori ignored her and continued. "I melted. It gave me the reassurance that maybe, you felt same way I did." Jade opened her eyes to show she was more than listening, putting a more relaxed face on. "Then at my front door, you were shy. That was the first time I saw that from you, ever."

"Don't tell anyone about that part, or I'll-" Jade was cut off by a sharp look from the brunette. She cleared her throat in defeat. "Continue."

"I knew things could be different when you kissed me. I knew there was more to you. I need it to be true, that you don't have to be mean and threatening all the time. I fell for a deeper you and I know it's real." Tori's head fell as the last words trickled out of her mouth along with her confidence.

Jade just laid there under the weight of Tori's body and words, contemplating her response carefully. It came surprisingly easily. "I'm sorry."

"What?" Tori couldn't believe she heard that right.

"I said, I'm sorry. For everything. It is real. All of this." Jade confessed, eyes locked with doe brown. "Don't look so surprised."

"It's just, that rarely comes out of your mouth, especially to me." Tori's facial expression softened into a relieved look. Jade thought it fit her better than the previous worried one.

"Well, I have a feeling it won't be the last." Jade mumbled jokingly. That earned her a poke in the stomach. "Hey! You're gonna regret that." Jade started tickling the singer, pushing herself up for more access. Tori squealed in surprise. Figuring that the girl in her lap had enough, Jade pulled her into a tight hug.

"If you let me, I'm gonna do this right. I'll prove you right." Jade whispered into Tori's ear. She swallowed hard, sighed and fell back onto the bed, taking the Latina with her. Forcing their eyes to meet, the pale girl had one more thing to say. "You know what to do. There is no reason for you to be afraid anymore." She took a quivering sigh. "You can trust me." She stroked a tan cheek in reassurance.

Tori knew exactly what Jade meant. She gave her a sly grin and leaned in to capture rosy lips with more courage than she had ever possessed before.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Beck took a few deep breaths before knocking on Tori's bedroom door. He was here for help. Tori always knew what to do. She would definitely know how he could get his ex back. With three strong knocks, he made his presence known. "Tori? It's Beck. You busy?" He heard scuffling and mumbled obscenities from the over side of the door, which struck him as odd. "Tori?"

"Ahhhh...Jus-st a second, Beck!" Tori's response was off but, he let it go and waited.

"Why did you answer for me?" Tori whispered harshly to Jade.

"Because you wouldn't!"

"Just...hide somewhere." Tori threw her shirt back on, realizing quickly that it was inside out. With a sigh, she fixed the problem only to be presented with a new one. "Under my covers is a bit obvious Jade! Find another place. I'm opening the door." Jade hurried to find a new hiding place like a kid playing Hide N Seek.

"Okay." Tori composed herself with one last deep breath and a glance around her room. All clear. She swung open the door a bit too eagerly.

"Uh, hey Tori. Is this a bad time?" Beck noticed how disheveled the tan girl seemed.

"Not at all! Come on in." Tori offered.

"Thanks." Beck walked in and took a seat on the bed. "Where's your family?"

"I think this was the weekend they went out of town to bring Trina to a specialist for her chronic annoyance-I mean, sickness. What can I do for you?" Tori sat a couple feet away from the boy.

"I want Jade back and I need your help."

Tori froze. That was the last thing she thought would come about. She glanced at her closet door where Jade had decided to hide. A gasp came from that direction and Tori scolded the hidden girl for it. Surely, Beck had heard, but he didn't react like she had. "Uh, where is this coming from? You guys rarely talk anymore and when you do, you're fighting." Tori thought maybe she could talk him out of it like she had Andre and at one point, herself.

"I still love her. I spoke to Andre about it. He told me to come talk to you. You're the only one that really knows what's going on between Jade and her sister. Maybe if I knew more, I could show her I still care about her."

"You mean take advantage of the situation? Beck-"

"No, not exactly. She won't talk to me about it and-"

"Well, maybe there's a reason for that. I mean, if she wanted you to know anything, she would tell you herself. I can't break her trust."

"And I would never ask you to. I'm glad she has opened up to you. It's strange though. This whole time knowing you, she acted like you were scum and now, you're the only one she talks to."

"She's opened up to Andre."

"But not like you. You're special. Everyone knows it and now Jade does too."

Tori sighed. This whole conversation was giving her a headache. The ex boyfriend of the girl she's been pining over is wanting her help to get said girl back together with him. "Listen, Beck-"

"Why are you helping her anyway?"

"What?" Tori was thrown off guard with the question.

"You're not even friends. She treats you worse than dirt. Why does she deserve you to be there for her?"

Suddenly the closet door swung open. Tori's face fell at the sight of Jade jumping out in a huff. "Listen Beck. With an attitude like that, are you surprised we broke up? How dare you come to Tori for help to get me back, then trash talk me to her. What is your goal in this whole visit?" Jade locked eyes with the shocked teen. Tori just face palmed.

"What is this?" The skinny boy looked between the two girls. "Tori?" Beck settled on the Latina for an explanation. She answered with a head shake, eyes closed.

"I'm tired of this Beck. I'm not, nor do I want to, get back together with you. And you don't either. You're just lonely and that's fine. I was too." Jade took on an understanding tone to her voice, fed up with fighting.

"And now you're not?"

"No, I'm not. When you made that snippy comment in the car about one of us being in love with Tori, you were right."

* * *

**_Next chapter and so forth will NOT take as long. I really am sorry. I feel awful. To all my readers, this story is still my baby. Loyalty is everything to me so, thank you for you're undying loyalty. _**

**_Until next week...(Promise) ;)_**

**_~EJ_**


	24. Slow and Steady

_**A/N: I'm so sorry for breaking my promise and taking too long to update. My childhood dog of 14 years passed away and it hit me hard. I'm still a bit down about it. She wasn't just a dog, Chloe was a part of my family. The loss took a lot out of me. **_

_**Thank you for all the support I get from you guys. It hits me in the soul. A couple questions to be answered. The name Mika came from my imagination. I enjoy the name and thought it would be a good one to compliment Jade. As for giving Jade an older sister, it fit in my head for the character she is. The idea popped in my head and would not leave me alone! It just had to be written. I'm glad you guys like it as much as you do. :)**_

**_Enough of my babbling. _**

**_Disclaimer: See Chapter 1 (Also, I do not own TMZ)_**

* * *

_**Chapter 24**_

_**Slow and Steady**_

"No, I'm not. When you made that snippy comment in the car about one of us being in love with Tori, you were right." Jade's confession hit both listeners like dodge balls to their stomachs. Beck shook his head and let out a little humorless chuckle. Tori stood frozen in place. Hearing the truth come right from Jade's mouth in her own words meant...well, it meant everything. "Typical Beck. Got nothing to say." All the boy did was stare into Jade's daring eyes. It looked like he was searching for confirmation of his ex girlfriend's words. Did she mean them?

"Beck? Beck, where are you?" Robbie yelled from downstairs.

"You brought Shapiro with you?" Jade asked with disgust.

"Jade..." Tori warned about her tone. This situation didn't call for anymore attitude than it already consisted of. The tension was already unbearable. The naturally broody girl just rolled her eyes, crossed her arms, and kept her mouth shut. She had a feeling that would be happening often with Tori.

"Here you are. Hey all." Robbie walked into the bedroom completely oblivious to the drama unfolding in front of him. Finally glancing at the somber look on Beck's face, he caught on that something was amiss. "What's wrong Beck? She say no?" The slightly effeminate boy asked, gesturing to Jade.

"Yeah, she said no. I need air." Jade answered. Pushing past all three, she headed toward the stairs from the hallway. But a hand caught her arm. She turned to be meet with chocolate orbs. She took a deep sigh for courage. "It's true." Giving her a look that said, 'don't reply, we'll talk later.' With a small smile of vulnerability, Jade loosened herself from Tori's grasp, taking the steps slowly.

The younger Vega was excited and terrified all at the same time. That was probably one the most difficult things for Jade to confess and she was forced to do it in front of more people than she was comfortable with. A smile crept onto her face at the possibility that it just might work with The Jade West.

"Maybe we should leave." Robbie inquired, entering the hallway. He sensed the thickening tension in the air.

"Beck, I'm sorry-"

"It's okay, Tori. I'm not mad. Let's go Robbie." The look in his eyes said otherwise, but it wasn't anger. He was more hurt than anything.

"See ya later, Tor." Robbie had bidden them farewell, following Beck down the hallway. Tori stood there, wondering where their whole group would stand come Monday. Everything seemed to be different. Maybe that was a good thing for once.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

'Shit...Way to kill two birds with one stone.' Jade thought, looking out at the pool, sitting in one of the lawn chairs. Good news, Tori didn't freak out and that made a big grin form on her lips. Maybe things would work out after all with Tori Vega. Oh Beck...

Her phone picked a great time to interrupt her good thoughts. She pulled it out of her pocket, not bothering to check the I.D. of the caller. "Hello?" she answered more chipper than any other time.

"Jade..." The young West froze. It was her mother to bring down her good spirits, of course.

"Mother." She answered through gritted teeth. Another 'feelings' talk seemed to be in her near future.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Well I-" Ms. West was cut off by an unusually hyper 8 year-old. "Jasper...Give me back the phone." Her mom was...giggling?

"Hi Jade! Guess what?" Jasper exclaimed excitedly. Jade had never heard him sound so child like. It made her smile come back.

"What's that, Buddy?"

"We're making pancakes! And I got to sleep in the big bed with Mom!" To say this information was shocking was an understatement. The West household was never this fun, ever. It was a nice change. But what was the catch? "Come to dinner tomorrow, please? Okay, here's Mom."

"Jasper, be careful of the stove please, it's extremely hot." Dinner? What dinner? Was this even her family on the phone? Was she going mentally insane? What was going on over there? "Jade?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm still here. Having fun, I can hear." The pale girl answered her mother with a chuckle.

"Yeah, well, I kinda... I got your note. And..." Sigh. "You're right Jade." Wow, Margo West actually took someone else's advice. On top of the that, it was her own daughter's advice. All this change was causing a headache, but Jade oddly welcomed it.

"What's this dinner Jasper mentioned?"

"I thought maybe, you could come home for dinner tomorrow night. And bring that girl from school. I want to meet her."

"Uh...Okay. But this whole turn around is a bit sudden Mom. How can I trust that you're not just gonna cause a scene and ruin ever-"

"I won't. Those days are over. I can't live in a life made up of mistakes anymore. Trust me, come to dinner and we can talk it all out." Jade was still, silence consumed her. She couldn't form a single sentence to answer her mother. She wanted to trust the words but the past proved that task difficult. "Jade?"

"Yeah. Sure. I'll be there." Reluctantly, Jade gave in. This was what she wanted, right? To fix her family.

"I want to be a part of the solution. Tell Mika to come too, please. I tried calling her but she never responded." Ms. West sounded somber, almost defeated. She sounded dead serious about everything.

"Mom, are you serious about this? I don't want to bring someone else into this situation if this is a trick."

"It's no trick, Jade. We all need a change. So, bring Mika, and...uh..."

"Tori." Jade answered gently, like if she was too harsh with her name, it would break the Latina.

"Right, Tori. Bring her. I'm absolutely serious. I'll see you tomorrow at six sharp."

"Okay..." With that Jade hung up and stared at her phone. What was that?

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Where's Mika?"

"I'm here. Had to see the doc." She arrived with a freshly splinted nose. The swelling came down just enough overnight so the splint could finally be properly put in place. The bruised coloring was, of course, still apparent. She soldiered on.

"Ah, I see. What happened to your nose?"

"Off the record?" The interviewer paused. Mika rolled her eyes knowing that was a ridiculous question. Journalism never went 'off record'. "I fell. Are we ready to start?"

"Fair enough. Thank you guys for interviewing with Alternative Press Magazine. We know you have a show to prepare for." The fake smile plastered made Mika irritated the second she walked in the room.

"We're flattered AP wanted to talk to us so it's great. Tonight is our last show in LA, then we head up to Seattle for a festival. After that, we get some time off." Evan took the lead after Mika went silent following the nose question.

"I'm assuming to spend time with friends and family?" The interviewer pointed her gaze at Mika in a suspicious manner.

The members glanced at Mika expectantly. When no answer was given, Kelly answered. "Yeah... We got to see them for a day but it's never enough time. We've been busy, on the road for so long we miss our loved ones and an actual home cooked meal." Everyone chuckled the appropriate length, with the exception of the singer. Mika couldn't tolerate two types people: two-faced, and those who smiled way too much. This interviewer was both. Everyone knew she was digging. Mika wasn't an idiot. Her past and family would be revealed sooner or later if it wasn't already discovered. She was a public figure now. They all were, whether she liked it or not. Her life was like a 'Behind the Music' episode waiting to happen.

The seething stare in Mika's hazel green eyes could burn through a safe at a bank. It should have put the interviewer in her place. But it only egged her on to ask the real questions. "Mika, how does your time spent at Hollywood Arts here in LA influence your talent now?"

This time, the West woman answered with a pointed look. Where was she going with this? "Well, the lessons I learned from instructors mostly helped me with the writing process of the music and lyrical parts, plus vocal classes strengthened my voice. I can write about deeper issues than, 'my boyfriend of two days broke up with me! He's so gonna regret it' songs and show more skill. My literature and poetry classes also helped me with that."

"Deeper issues such as your family life..." You could hear a pin drop, it was so quiet. Finally, after what felt like forever, Mika cleared her throat, shifted in her seat, and spoke up.

"Sure."

"Could you elaborate?"

"On what?"

"Family life. I mean, your music consists of quite a lot of angst. And I hear your younger sister currently attends Hollywood Arts." This bitch was all over the place with the questions, Mika thought. She wasn't even good at fishing for gossip.

"Everyone has issues at home. Just the usual stuff and yes, she does." Busted. It wouldn't be long for her entire history to be news to the public. The more famous the band got, the more difficult it was to hide these things. She did show up at the school not too long ago and everyone does have a camera these days. The last thing she wanted was to drag Jade into this.

"But not everyone gets thrown out of their house at 17. How did little Jade feel about that?" Mika was two seconds from ripping this girl's throat to shreds when Evan stepped in and placed a hand on her knee to calm her, letting her know they had her back.

"Don't talk about my sister."

"Does she know the real reason?"

"We are here to talk about music and our tour. What does this have to do with any of that?" Evan asked.

"Material. I mean most songwriters take inspiration from their own lives. I just thought such a rough childhood would do just that."

"We're done here." Everyone turned their attention to the voice they rarely heard at all much less interviews. The bassist, Beth decided enough was enough.

"Beth? It's okay." Mika tried to calm her friend down but was too stunned at her abrasiveness to be effective.

"No, it's not. You've been through too much to deal with it like this." At this point, Beth, whom stood at no more than 5'2, was fuming. Her rosy cheeks evident, anger in her blue eyes. She turned her attention back to the enemy. "If you want to be tabloid scum, I hear 'People' is hiring. AP was never like this. It was always about music first. Not some pushy bitch looking to get a cheap way in. I'm out." Beth let herself out of the little room.

Mika sat back in her chair, arms crossed, smirk in place. The ballsy interviewer smirked in return. "Tell me Mika, how did you really get that broken nose? Return home lately?" The brunette shot up faster than a cannon.

"I'll give you one to match!"

"Okay! This interview is over." Evan intervened, holding back his friend from causing destruction to the woman's face. He picked her up and walked out of the room while she decided to let a little steam off with her mouth in the process. "You need some air."

"It won't be long until I'm all over TMZ..."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"I'm all over TMZ."

"What? Why?"

"Mika. They got a photo of us coming out of my dad's house."

"You're dad?" Tori asked peaking over Jade's should to see the article and picture of the sisters on the laptop. "Oh my god...it was worse last night. All that blood." Then, a thought dawned on the half Latina. "You're dad did it." She let out a humorless laugh.

"Huh? Did what?" Jade replied absentmindedly.

"Broke Mika's nose..." With the theory shared, Jade dipped her head and remained silent. "Jade..."

"Yes! Alright? Is that what you want?" The sting didn't quite reach Jade's voice and the remark came out more defeated than anything.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tori used everything in her to keep the irritation out her own voice. She placed her hand on Jade's shoulder, coming around the couch to sit next to her.

"Because it's embarrassing. Our own father hates us enough to hit us."

"Did he hit you too?" Tori felt her heart finally drop into her stomach at the whole conversation. She couldn't imagine.

"Not last night. He has at times in the past. More so after Mika left only because she wasn't there to protect me and take the blows meant for me."

"Hon-"

"It happens Tor. Some people aren't meant to have great childhoods. But I had- have a great sister. The whole truth made me understand that everything she has done, it's been for me. And I have a great girl by my side that makes me laugh. You make me feel better about myself. I'm actually happy for once. Well, as happy as I can be with the current circumstances. But that's all I need." The look on Jade's face told Tori that this was all that needed to be said. So she did the only thing that came to mind. She turned Jade's face to meet her green blues, noses barely touching, breath hitching, fingers caressing cheeks. Their lips met in a slow kiss filled with understanding.

"Thank you." Tori whispered after pulling back to make eye contact again, smiling from ear to ear.

"What for?" Jade inquired still stuck in the daze of the kiss.

"For making me smile." The brunette pecked the nose of the girl in front of her. "Just so you know, I feel the same way about you." She whispered in Jade's ear sending shivers throughout her body. She quickly composed herself.

"I was wondering how long you could hold out." Jade jabbed, smugly. "Kiss me to prove it."

* * *

**Finally, the update. Thank you guys for sticking around once again. I know I test all of your patience. I know the feeling. I read Jori FanFic just as much as the rest of you. lol I hate the wait, so I'll do my very best not to make you guys wait on me as long. **

**Peace & Love,**

**~EJ**


End file.
